A tragic incident unfolded in the Rumaholu community of Rivers State, where the body of a security guard named Uche was discovered in a diesel tank at a telecommunications facility.
Reports indicate that Uche, who had been on duty at the site, fell into the tank on Saturday night. The community residents, who last saw him that evening, began searching for him after he failed to return home and eventually located his lifeless body in the early hours of Monday, September 23, 2024.
Witnesses suggested that Uche may have attempted to steal diesel from the tank, slipping and falling in the process. A resident, who spoke on a condition of anonymity, recounted finding Uche’s slippers near the tank and noted that the facility’s gate was left ajar, prompting the search.
“When I came to the shop this morning, a brother of the landlord told me that this man (the deceased) was trying to steal diesel from the place on Saturday night.
“And along the line, they don’t know how it happened and he fell inside the tank. When they didn’t see him throughout Sunday, they started searching for him and came to the place where he worked," the resident stated.
"They discovered that the protector was open and their security house was also open. They saw the clothes that he removed and his slippers. They also saw that the diesel tank was open and that he fell inside."
Following the grim discovery, Uche's family and representatives from the telecommunications company filed a report with the police. Efforts to reach Rivers Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Grace Iringe-Koko, for comments were unsuccessful, as her phone was unreachable at the time of filing this report.