10 crew members arrested over Captain’s murder in Lagos

The Nigerian police is currently investigating the brutal murder of a senior captain of ORC Fishing and Food Processing Limited located at Kirikiri Phase 2, Apapa, Lagos. 

The deceased, identified as Captain Aiyenumelo Felix of Nigeria Marine Navy, was allegedly killed by his crew members on board, on Wednesday, October 22, 2014 in the Atlantic Ocean, within Nigeria’s territorial waters.

Although details surrounding the death of Aiyenumelo Felix are still sketchy, it was gathered that the mutilated body of the captain was found by another vessel two days after he was declared missing by crew members, with an iron anchor tied on his neck.

When the remains of the late captain arrived the company’s operational base at Kirikiri phase 2, blood was still gushing out of the bloated body, which had several deep cuts on the head and hands, suggesting that he must have been murdered before he was thrown into the waters.

Speaking to Vanguard at the scene, Captain Romans, a relative of the deceased, said when the incident happened, the company refused to contact family members.

“I had to personally go to the company to confirm the incident when I first heard about it. When I asked the GM why they didn’t contact the family members, he said they didn’t have the contact address of the Captain’s family.

“I wondered how the company will not have the family contact of a man who had worked for them for over 20 years,” he lamented.

Speaking to Vanguard, Fenyintola, second son of the deceased, who was still in shock, said: “My father initially refused to go with the vessel because he was not feeling too well, as he came back from sea several weeks back after sustaining an arm injury.

“He was still receiving treatment when they forced him to board, threatening to fire him if he refused to board. See how they have killed him.”

While investigating the case, the police arrested several persons, many of who had since been released.

The General Manager of the company and Group Chief Security officer, Commissioner of Police Essient (retd) were under pressure from the deceased family members, who protested the undue delay in presentation of the corpse for identification.

They were initially told to report to the company’s office at about 7am to identify the corpse but had to wait for six hours for the vessel bearing the remains to finally arrive.

Ten crew members, who were on board with the late captain have been arrested by the Marine Police from Marine headquarters, Onikan, while the remains of the deceased had been deposited in the mortuary.

Pacifying the bereaved family, retd. Commissioner of Police Essient stated that they couldn’t confirm what actually killed the captain but assured that the company would leave no stone unturned to unravel what happened.

When contracted, the GM of the company, identified as Amirie, said he was not in the position to speak on the issue and told Vanguard to contact the head office at No 14, Chivita Avenue, Ajao Estate, Lagos.

It was gathered that the captain, survived by his wife and six children, comprising four girls and two boys, had worked for the company for over 20 years before his brutal murder.