From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The Bayelsa State Police Command has commenced investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of an All Progressive Congress (APC) chieftain, Nasko Egei at the Aridolf Wellness Resort and Spa located along Isaac Boro Express road, Yenagoa.
Egei, who hails from Amassoma community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State and father of two, was a former Senior Special Assistant to Governor Henry Seriake Dickson before his defection to the APC shortly before the 2015 governorship elections.
His dead body with blood flowing from his mouth and ears was said to have been discovered on Friday by the hotel management when the door to his room was forced open.
There are indications that the family might have ordered for autopsy following conflicting reports over the cause of his death. While a report said the deceased could have died of complication of high blood pressure, another report from sources close to the deceased said he might have been poisoned by a female companion that went with him to the hotel.
A kinsman of the deceased who did not want his name in print said the death of Nasko was curious and challenged the hotel management and the Police to unravel the circumstance of his death.
According to him, a big hotel like Aridolf should have a Close Circuit Television (CCTV) to reveal the identity of the lady that was with the deceased at the time of the incident.
“A hotel as big as Aridolf cannot claim not to have a CCTV. So, the hotel will do a whole lot of good to unravel what happened. Therefore, we implore the security agencies, particularly the police to swing into action to investigate this sad incident. The hotel should be made to provide the identity of the lady that went with him to the hotel. If the identity can’t be gotten, the hotel should be able to play its CCTV to know the female guest with Nasko. As kinsmen, we will not allow the matter to be swept under the carpet. We are sad about this incident”
Friends and relatives, who have taken to the Facebook to mourn the deceased, have also suggested traditional ways of unraveling the cause of the death. A friend, Bodmas Kemepadei wrote on facebook that the death of Nasko should be investigated spiritually according to the customs and tradition of the Ijaws, precisely the Ogboin people.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Bayelsa State Police Command, Asinim Butswat, who confirmed the incident, said that investigation into the cause of the incident had already commenced. “It has not been established whether he was poisoned or not. At this point, we won’t be able to establish whether he was poisoned and who poisoned him. But we will look at the people he was with the previous night before the incident. By that time we carry out a post-mortem investigation that will determine what substance actually led to his death. The investigation is ongoing.” he said.