Police to Conduct Autopsy on Rear Admiral Ikoli

• Suicidal textile dealer embraces life WHO tackles depression on World Health Day

Chiemelie Ezeobi

The Lagos State Police Command thursday said it had begun a holistic investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Rear Admiral Daniel Teikumo Ikoli, the erstwhile Fleet Commander at Western Naval Command.

Ikoli, a former member of the Presidential Committee on Audit of Defense Equipment Procurement (CADEP), was on Wednesday morning found in a pool of his own blood in his apartment at No 8B Roycroft Street, Apapa, Lagos.

Although the policemen from Area B Police Command, had first suspected assassination, they had later changed the report to a case of suicide after preliminary investigations, as was shown in their situation report to the command headquarters.

Nonetheless, the police investigation is supposed to entail conducting an autopsy to get the concrete cause of death- whether suicide or assassination, especially as there was no suicide note when the body was discovered.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Olarinde Famous-Cole, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, said investigation was yet to be concluded.

He said: “The police is still investigating but I can’t speak for the navy. On our part though, our investigation will involve autopsy.

“Our investigation will be comprehensive and we will look at the last people he spoke to that morning and the last call he made and the context of the calls.

“It will also involve interviewing his neighbours and the person that was living with him at that point. Already he is in police custody and he is cooperating.”

Meanwhile, the news of Ikoli’s death has raised pertinent issues about ensuring periodic therapy for military personnel who are undergoing depression.

However, THISDAY gathered that the cause of death would not affect the entitlements of the late rear admiral, which would be given to his family.

A naval source who spoke on anonymity said, “For now, his death has thrown up pertinent issues like what the service constitution says about deaths of such manner.

“Since there is nothing in our service book concerning cases like this, I am sure Rear Admiral Ikoli would be given his full rights as due his rank and his entitlements paid to his family.”

In another development, the Lagos Island textile dealer, Mrs. Taiwo Momoh, who was prevented from committing suicide by the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) about weeks ago has embraced life.

Momoh had almost jumped into the Third Mainland Bridge, due to the huge debts she had accumulated after she was duped of thousands of dollar notes.

The RRS Public Relations Officer, Malik Nasir, who confirmed this said Momoh has not just embraced life but has returned to her business.

He said: “She had returned to her business. May God comfort and strengthen her and many others who are silently weathering the storms of life.”

Meanwhile, probably picking up on the suicidal trend, the World Health Organisation (WHO), has mapped today, April 7, 2017, as the Day against Depression.

According to the body, it’s aim is to make people more aware of depression and the fact that it can be prevented and treated, to have people with depression seek help; and family, friends and colleagues of people living with depression able to provide support.

WHO said depression is an illness characterised by persistent sadness and a loss of interest in activities that you normally enjoy, accompanied by an inability to carry out daily activities, for at least two weeks.

In its statement, the body said depression can happen to anybody, adding that it causes mental anguish and impacts on people’s ability to carry out even the simplest everyday tasks, with sometimes devastating consequences for relationships with family and friends and the ability to earn a living.

The statement also noted “At worst, it can lead to suicide, now the second leading cause of death among 15-29-year olds. A better understanding of what depression is, and how it can be prevented and treated, will help reduce the stigma associated with the condition, and lead to more people seeking help.”