Shock, Confusion As DIG Joseph Egbunike, Probing Abba Kyari Slumps, Dies
- After check-up at National Hospital Abuja
- Police sources allege medical error
BY EDMOND ODOK – Confusion and anxiety took the centre on Tuesday as Police authorities confirmed the death of Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) in-charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID), Joseph Egbunike.
Reports said Egbunike died on Tuesday, after slumping in his office, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
Competent Police sources confirmed that the top Cop, who complained of feeling unwell, had met his doctor for a routine medical check-up.
Few minutes after being given some drugs, the source said he drove back to office in company of family members, spotting his usual bubbling self, only to slump and die some minutes later.
Meanwhile, details about the death of the Senior officer are emerging with Police saying the DIG gave up the ghost at the National Hospital Abuja after an operation which may have been a medical error.
According to Police sources, DIG Egbunike was driven to National Hospital following severe neck pains which troubled him at the weekend for a medical check-up.
On getting to the hospital and seeing the pain the DIG was going through, the doctors immediately recommended an operation leading to the DIG being taken into the theatre.
However, sources at the National Hospital said doctors knowing fully well that Egbunike had a history of high blood pressure, should have allowed him to stabilize and the BP reduced to a manageable state before proceeding with the operation.
“They ignored this and this is a medical error. There is no doubt this may gave led to his death”.
Late Egbunike was previously the DIG in charge of Finance and Administration before taking over as DIG Investigation and also DIG overseeing the South-East geo-political zone.
The late senior officer, who hailed from Onitsha in Anambra State, was until his death, heading the Special Investigation Panel constituted by the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, to probe the activities of the suspended head of the Police Intelligence Response Team, DCP Abba Kyari, over money laundering allegations.
