By The Fleet Commander, Western Naval Command (WNC) and a member of the Presidential Committee on the Probe of Arms Deal, Rear Admiral Teikumo Daniel Ikoli has been found dead at his Apapa, Lagos residence.
Ikoli, who was Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT was said to have been found in a pool of his blood on Wednesday morning.
According to a statement by the spokesperson for the Western Naval Command, Chinwe Umar, said the cause of Ikoli’s death had not been known, but investigation was going on.
“In the early hours of Wednesday April 5, 2017, gunshots were heard in the vicinity where Rear Admiral Ikoli resides in Apapa, Lagos.
“When his room was opened, he was found dead,’’ the naval spokesperson, a lieutenant commander, said in the statement.
He said that the Police had been invited for investigation into how the naval chief died, adding that more “updates would be given when the situation is clearer.’’
However, it was gathered that the senior officer left the office on Tuesday afternoon after complaining he wasn’t feeling too well.
According to reports, Rear Admiral Ikoli was battling an undisclosed illness, which has since made him loose weight.
He also became withdrawn contrary to his usual boisterous personality.
Another report gathered that the deceased was suffering from depression caused by the high dollar rate and unavailability Foreign Exchange (FOREX) for his children’s tuition.
According to sources, Ikoli might have committed suicide due to his usual depression for his children’s tuition.
Another source added that Ikoli expressed worries about the possibility of assassins going after him as a result of his membership in the Presidential Committee.
Officers who worked under the deceased have expressed shock over his death, insisting he might have been assassinated.
According to a close aide to the deceased, a boy who lives at his home claimed he heard gunshot from Ikoli’s room and took cover.
He said: “The boy said he heard gunshot and when he did, he took cover. His wife is in Abuja and his children school abroad. His orderlies and Naval Assistant (NA) usually go after dropping him.
“The bullet hit him on the chest. Three bullets were seen in his room. No one can really tell what happened but the position he was seen suggests he might have been scared of something or someone.
Source: NPO
