The family of Ernest Owoicho, a 35-year-old nurse, has accused troops of Operation Whirl Stroke in Benue State of torturing him to death in Ugbokpo, a community in Apa Local Government Area.
According to the family, Ernest was arrested at his home on Saturday, April 5, by soldiers attached to the military operation, and was confirmed dead less than 24 hours later.
Nelson Owoicho, the deceased’s younger brother, told newsmen that he received a distress call from Ernest at 1:54 p.m. on the day of his arrest.
Ernest reportedly informed Nelson that soldiers had stormed his house and were beating him. The call lasted 37 seconds. A follow-up call made two minutes later revealed that the soldiers were taking Ernest away without giving any reason for the arrest. That was the last time the family heard from him.
Nelson said the family later received reports that Ernest had been taken to Elu Lodge, a temporary base for troops of Operation Whirl Stroke in the area.
He alleged that Ernest, a father of two, was subjected to hours of torture at the lodge.
Efforts to secure his release through the Apa Local Government Chairman, Adams Ochega, and other local officials were unsuccessful.
“By 5 p.m. on Saturday, we got information that he had collapsed in military detention and was rushed to a hospital,” Nelson recounted. “We sent people to all the hospitals in Ugbokpo, but no one found him.”
Later that evening, the family received information that a body had been deposited at the Apa General Hospital morgue. However, the name registered was “Victor Otache,” not Ernest Owoicho.
“We relaxed for a bit, thinking maybe it wasn’t him,” Nelson said. “But the next day, calls started coming in—people told us that Ernest had died in military custody.”
The family proceeded to Elu Lodge to inquire about his whereabouts but were met with vague responses and were told to return at noon.
As word of the incident spread, tensions escalated in Ugbokpo, leading to protests by local youths who blocked major roads.
It was during this period that the body tagged as “Victor Otache” was re-examined and identified by the family as Ernest Owoicho.
“When we saw the corpse, his body was badly beaten—from head to toe. It was clear he had been brutalised,” Nelson said. “Information we got later suggested he died within 45 minutes of his arrest.”
The family has continued to demand answers from the military, questioning what alleged crime led to Ernest’s arrest and subsequent death.
As of the time of filing this report, Onyema Nwachukwu, spokesperson of the Nigerian Army, has not responded to calls or messages seeking comments on the incident.
