The extended family of the first Lady Dame Patience Jonathan has been thrown into mourning following the death of one Christopher Onoriode Awim who is believed to be a nephew of the First Lady. According to reports, Onoriode died a few days ago at the swimming pool of the Agura Hotel in Area 10, Abuja. The deceased had attended a programme organized by the Ijaw Students Association of the University of Abuja which was held at the hotel premises. Sources gathered that when the events ended around 4.00pm, the students left the hotel for school but the deceased allegedly waited behind to swim at the hotel’s swimming pool.
His body was however retrieved by the poolside around 6.00pm later that same day, having drowned.
Christopher Onoriode Awim’s family is however not happy with the circumstances of his death and they have contacted prominent human rights lawyer Festus Keyamo who has petitioned the Inspector General of Police requesting further investigations on the circumstances that led to the death as well as the negligence of the staff of the hotel.
According to sources, Keyamo in his petition claimed that “A post mortem has been carried out by a certified consultant pathologist who confirmed that his death was as a result of drowning and further added that if the victim had received help within five minutes of being submerged, he would have survived.” The deceased’s family claimed that despite the fact that two life guards were supposed to be on duty at the pool on the day of the incident, their son’s life was not saved, because the life guards claimed to have left their duty post for over an hour.
Keyamo further alleged that “Our enquiries have shown that there were two life guards on duty at the pool who curiously left their duty post under flimsy excuses. Further enquiries also revealed that there was a busy bar beside the swimming pool.
“Inspite of the expected attendant staff presence, the body of the victim was not found until over one hour after he had drowned,” the petition said.
Keyamo in the petition further raised some serious questions which he believed would help the Inspector General of Police. He wondered for instance , “Why did the life guards charged with the sensitive responsibility of safe-guarding guests abandon their duty post for so long? He also raised the issue of the hotel authorities leaving a guest in the public swimming pool unattended to for long and why there was no bartender at the Bar adjoining the swimming pool all through the time he late Awin was in the pool struggling for life till he drowned.
He also asked ‘why did the police hasten to reopen the swimming pool which was a crime scene that was initially sealed for investigations and why no member of staff of the Agura Hotels been charged for culpable homicide till date. On behalf of the family, Keyamo implored the Inspector General of Police to fully investigate the circumstances of the drowning of the late Christopher Onoriode Awim. According to the lawyer, “we are respectfully inviting you to employ your good offices in ordering a full coroner’s inquest for the purpose of resolving the foregoing queries and charge all those found culpable to court.”
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