Sylvester Idowu in Warri
Tragedy struck at the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS Delta), Warri on Thursday night as A Naval Officer lost his life after hitting his head on a rail at the Base’s jetty on arrival from an operation against militants in the creeks of Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State.
The officer (names witheld), a Lieutenant Commander, died at about 7 p.m on arrival from a patrol team he led against some militants allegedly operating somewhere in the creeks of the council.
Security sources told THISDAY that the officer, who hailed from Nassarawa State, had successfuly led the patrol team to the creeks and returned to the base safely with his team.
It was however gathered that the officer met his untimely death while alighting from the patrol boat and slipped, hit his head on a dangling rail and fell inside the river.
It was learnt that concerted efforts by his subordinates to rescue him proved abortive as he was already bleeding from the nose and ear by the time he was brought out lifeless out of the river.
“This incident happened within seconds but the officer was gone. He would have survived if the authority had fixed the rails despite several complaints”, the security sources disclosed.
Further details later
