IGP orders thorough investigation into Dimgba Igwe’s death

Dimgba Igwe

The acting Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba has ordered a detailed investigation into the death of the Associate Publisher of Entertainment Express and Sunday Express Newspapers, Dimgba Igwe, whose life was cut short by a hit-and-run driver in Lagos on Saturday.

 According to a statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Ojukwu, on Monday in Abuja, the IGP assured that the police would not leave any stone unturned in its bid to unravel the circumstances surrounding the late journalist’s death.

 While recalling the many worthy contributions of the late journalist to nation-building, Abba posited that Igwe died at a time when his “highly cerebral ideas and ingenuity are very much needed in the country.” He went on to express deep regrets over the incident and condoled with his family.

 Meanwhile, the president of Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Femi Adesina, has stated that the deceased vice chairman of the SUN Publishing Company Limited, Dimgba Igwe, would have survived the accident that claimed his life if prompt medical attention was available to him.

 Adesina, who described himself as a protege of the late journalist, having worked under him as a reporter in the defunct Weekend Concord, disclosed that the late Igwe was initially moved to a private hospital somewhere in Isolo.

 His words, “when the staff of the hospital sensed that the injuries sustained by Igwe was beyond the scope they could cope with, they transferred him to Isolo General Hospital. Unfortunately, there was no surgeon around at the time he was taken there, so they had to move him to Lagos University Teaching Hospital where he died.”

 Adesina, in a voice laden with emotion, said the deceased endured four hours of pain, as the incident occurred about 6am but he had to give up the ghost at the emergency surgical theatre about 10am on Saturday. This, he noted, amounts to four grueling hours which the late journalist and pastor had battling with his life.

 Still on the painful demise, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has tasked the Federal Road Safety Commission to investigate, apprehend and prosecute the driver of the vehicle that allegedly knocked down the deceased journalist.

 The labour union, in a statement signed by its general secretary, Dr Peter Ozo-Eson, described the death of Igwe as a big loss to quality journalism.

 The late Igwe was on Saturday murdered by a hit-and-run driver while jogging around his residence at Okota in Lagos. Permutations are already rife in some quarters that his killing may not be unconnected with his highly critical but objective style of journalism practice.