IGP Clears Victory Children’s Hospital Onitsha MD, Dr Oliver Nnamdi Umeh, of ritual accusations

The Federal Government, through the office of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), has absolved the Medical Director of Victory Children’s Hospital, Onitsha, Dr Oliver Nnamdi Umeh, his staff and Hospital of any involvement in the death of a new born and daughter of Mr Solomon Igwe in his hospital.

The clearance from the IGP obtained by www.odogwublog.com  cleared Dr Umeh, his hospital and staff, of mutilating the dead baby’s ear and pointed out that the dead baby’s ear was eaten up by rodents, hence the ‘serrated edges of the defect left behind’ according to two autopsy reports.

 It pointed out as well that Histology report showed that the defect in the ear arose after death.

Part of the letter of clearance from IGP attributed the defect in the ear to: ‘’both first and second post mortems conducted on the instance of the father of the deceased baby ; 1a Alphyxia from 1b respiratory distress syndrome of the new born, a situation that leads to inability of the baby to retain air in the lungs. The ear was apparently removed by rodents, hence the serrated edges of the defect left behind. Histology also shows that the defect arose after death.

‘’Consequently, this evidently resolved the contention as to the cause of death and the severed ear. In conclusion, there is nothing of evidential value linking Dr Oliver Nnamdi Umeh to the alleged crime established in the course of investigation. As such, no evidence abound to ground the allegation linking Dr Oliver Nnamdi Umeh, please’’.   

IGP’s clearance was endorsed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Homicide), Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (FCIID), DCP Ayim Abraham.

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The IGP report categorically showed that the allegations against Dr Oliver Nnamdi Umeh was cooked up to tarnish his image and destroy his medical reputation as good Children’s Clinic in and around Onitsha.

www.odogwublog.com  reported in October 2015, four years ago, that a baby girl’s ear was allegedly mutilated in that hospital for ritual purposes and the report found space in some online and conventional media as alleged by Mr Igwe Solomon, father of the dead child.

The media reports did not obtain the side of the Medical Director, Dr Oliver Nnamdi Umeh, even though reporters claimed he was unreachable as at press time then. He was still in shock of such allegedly happening in his hospital. He was equally not on duty when it all happened, though he was the owner. He got undue press reportage.  

It would further be recalled that the parents of the dead child, Mr Solomon and Mrs Bridget Igwe, from Ebonyi State, but resident in Awada, suburb of Onitsha, petitioned the Anambra state Children’s Parliament led by the then Speaker, Right Hon (Amb) Edden-Rex Abarah for intervention, claiming police investigation failed.

Abarah petitioned Governor Willie Obiano’s wife , Chief Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano, for intervention, alleging that Dr Oliver Nnamdi Umeh killed the daughter of Mr and Mrs Igwe. He too did not reflect the side of Dr Umeh in his petition. He as well alleged a police cover up. In the petition, the father of the baby admitted the baby had jaundice before they brought her to Victory Hospital and Children’s Clinic Onitsha. Igwe petitioned the Nigeria Police and the case was assigned to AIG, Zone 9, Umuahia for investigation.

The array of petitions to the police and the Ministry of Health Anambra State painted a picture of someone trying to sustain the narrative that the accused was guilty despite ongoing police investigation.

Second petition went to IGP, DIG Umuahia, DSS, Governor’s wife, Ebonyi NMA, Director of Medical Services, Anambra state who searched up for Dr Umeh’s file, kept a copy in his file and tried severally to invite Mr Igwe to show up and authenticate his petition but he never showed up. It was referred as frivolous petition and Dr Umeh asked to go after visiting Awka severally on invitation of the Director Medical services.

The police clearance report read in part: ‘’ CERTIFIED TRUE COPY, POLICE INVESTIGATION REPORT

RE: UNSATISFACTORY POLICE INVESTIGATION INTO WRONGFUL AEREST, HARRASSEMENT, BLACKMAIL, EXTORTION AND INTIMIDATION OF DR. OLIVER NNAMDI UMEH ON ACCOUNT OF THE QUESTIONABLE ALLEGED MUTILAION OF CORPSE AT VICTORY CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL ONITSHA.

This deal with a case of an alleged mutilation of new born baby girl ear reported to the Inspector General of Police by Mr. Solomon Igwe, against Dr. Oliver Nnamdi Umeh, the owner and Staff of Victory Children’s Hospital Onitsha. The said case was initially endorsed to the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone H Headquarters, Umuahia, Abia State for investigation. While the investigation was ongoing Dr. Oliver Nnamdi Umeh felt dissatisfied by the circle of Police arrest and detention from one level of investigation to another as he was neither at the Hospital during admission/treatment and the death of the said baby, hence, he petitioned to the Inspector General of Police. The said petition was subsequently forwarded to the Commissioner of Police, Homicide Section for harmonization and consolidation.

2. The facts of the case as alleged by the complainant are that, On 29/07/2015 at about 1700 hours, Solomon Igwe ‘m’ accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Bridget Igwe took their five days old baby girl to the Victory Children’s Hospital, Onitsha for medical treatment. On the same day 29/07/2015 at about 23:50 hours while on admission the said Baby died in the presence of the mother, Mrs. Bridget Igwe and one other person in the emergency ward of the Hospital. Dr. Justine I. Amadi who treated the Baby before her death handed over the corpse to Nurse Obioma Ike for onward handing over to the parents.

 On 30/07/2015 at about 07:30 hours Solomon Igwe upon unwrapping the corpse discovered that the right ear of the Baby had been severed off from the body. He reported to the Central Police Station, Onitsha where he pointed at Dr. Victor Nnamdi Umeh (who was not aware of the admission, treatment and death of the Baby) of being responsible for the missing ear. While the investigation was on going the parents fronted a demand of the sum of ten million naira for Dr. Oliver Nnamdi Umeh to be vindicated, which he sensed a foul play with a view to extorting and blackmailing him using the then investigating team. Consequently, he wrote a counter petition to the Deputy Inspector General of Police urging the transfer of the case to Abuja for unbiased investigation.

3.            In the course of the investigation, Statements of parties to the case were recorded and the scene of crime visited. Detectives also viewed the corpse of the deceased Baby. On 16/04/2015 autopsy was conducted on the remains of the deceased Baby but the parents’ contested the outcome. This occasioned the parents of the deceased Baby, Mr. Solomon Igwe to arrange for another pathologist who conducted second autopsy.

4.            In the course of investigation it was established that Mr. Solomon Igwe and his wife, Mrs. Bridget Igwe brought their five days old Baby girl to Victory Children’s Hospital Onitsha as a referral case from St. Mary’s Hospital Okpoko Onitsha on 29/07/2015. It was also revealed that 45 minutes after their arrival the Baby died while on admission in the presence of the parents but could not collect the corpse on that fateful day 30/07/2015 and on arrival for the collection of the corpse on the following day for burial discovered that the deceased right ear had been severed, alerted Dr. Amadi Ifeanyi of the development and subsequently reported to the Police. Investigation also revealed that the parents capitalised on the discovered severed ear and become suspicious over course of death. It was also highlighted during the course of investigation that Dr. Oliver Nnamdi Umeh was neither aware of the admission of Baby of Solomon, death nor the severance of the ear, except Dr. Amadi Ifeanyi Justin who carried out treatment and handed over the remains of the deceased baby to nurse Ike Obioma to give same to the parents but carelessly exposed the corpse to rodents before handing over the corpse to the parries.

5.            Both first and second post Mortem conducted on the instance of the father of the deceased Baby revealed that:- 1a “Alphyxia from Ib. Respiratory distress syndrome of the new born, a situation that leads to inability of the Baby to retain air in the lungs. The ear was apparently removed by rodents, hence the serrated edges of the defect left behind. Histology also shows that the defect arose after death. Consequently, this evidently resolved the contention as to the cause of death and the severed ear. In conclusion, there is nothing of evidential value linking Dr. Oliver Nnamdi Umeh to the alleged crime established in the course of investigation as such no enough evidence abound to ground the allegation linking Dr. Oliver Nnamdi Umeh, please.

DCP AYIM ABRAHAM,

DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF POLICE (HOMICIDE)

FORCE CRIMINAL INTELLIGENCE & INVESTIGATION DEPT. (FCIID),

AREA 10 GARKI,

ABUJA