A petrol station manager in Ughelli, Delta state has died after being discovered in an underground tank by a co-worker.
Mr. Dennis Ikroje reportedly went to work very early on the morning of June 9 at Sobaz Petrol Station situated along Ughelli/ Patani Road and allegedly went to the underground tank with 20 gallons and a hose for yet unknown reasons.
Later, when other workers resumed for the day, they discovered the manager was in the manhole leading to the underground tank, struggling for breath, and they raised alarm.
The body of the manager was immediately retrieved and taken to a nearby clinic but was referred to the Central Hospital, Ughelli, where he was confirmed dead by a doctor.
The matter was reported to the police who deposited the corpse in the morgue.
Meanwhile, family members of the deceased are asking for answers. The Igroje family in Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta made a passionate appeal to the Commissioner of Police (CP), Delta Command, Mr. Ari Ali, to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death of their son, Dennis.
A Member of the family, Mr. Jaho Esiri, who is also a lawyer to the family, said that there was a need for the police to explain to the family how their son died while on duty and why the security men on guard were not among those apprehended in connection with the crime.
He said: “I suspect that the man was killed and his body dumped inside the manhole.
“Till now, the management of the petrol station has not deemed it fit to inform the family of the deceased about what happened.”
A source from the deceased’s family said they received a call from someone about what happened to their son at the petrol station on that fateful morning.
The source added: “When we got to the petrol station, we were told that they had rushed our son who until his death was the Manager of the Petrol Station to a private clinic.
“On getting to the clinic, we were told that our son has been referred to the General Hospital, Ughelli.
“Getting to the general hospital, we were told that our son is dead and that his remains have been deposited at the mortuary.
“We were not allowed to identify our son inside the mortuary. They said it involved a police case.”