DIG Joseph Egbunike: It was medical error to operate him with high BP — Source

… Death comes 2 months to retirement

Abiodun OBA

The Deputy Inspector General of Police in Charge Force Criminal Investigations Department, and head of the probe panel of suspended DCP Abba Kyari, DIG Joseph Obiajulu Egbunike died at the national hospital, Abuja, after an operation which may have been a medical error.

Police sources said 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.

Sources present at the hospital however said that the National hospital doctors knowing fully well that the senior officer had a history of high blood pressure, would 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”.

DIG Egbunike recently headed the Special Investigation Panel that investigated the alleged involvement of Suspended DCP Abba Kyari, former Commander of the Police Intelligence Yeam IRT over the $1.1million Hushpuppi internet fraud reported slumped in the office and died before medical response could be performed late on Tuesday.

Egbunike who had previously served as the DIG in charge of Finance and Administration before he was appointed DIG Investigation hails from Onitsha in Anambra state and in the DIG overseeing the South-East geo-political zone.

A senior Police officer who was evidently in pain over the shocking demise confirmed the death of Egbunike.

Egbunike was due to retire from the service in the next two months

He was an alumnus of the University of Nsukka, bagging BSc in Accounting.

He also had a Bachelor of Law, a masters in International Relations, and a Ph.D. in Criminology

He had served in various commands in the force. Egbunike hailed from Onitsha Anambra State.

The Police headquarters is yet to speak on his death