Dark clouds are forming after a senior official of the National Biotechnology Development Agency, NABDA, Mr. Christopher Orji, reportedly committed suicide at his home in Abuja.
Orji’s lifeless body was found dangling with a rope tied to a ceiling fan in his residence at Federal Housing Authority, FHA, Lugbe, a suburb of Abuja at about 4pm on Monday, August 30.
His nephew, Stanley Orji, was said to have returned from work on the ill-fated day to behold the gory spectacle at the apartment and raised the alarm before lodging a complaint at the Lugbe police divisional headquarters.
Scudnews learnt that a team of policemen was swiftly drafted to the scene and evacuated the body to the Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Jabi, where he was reportedly examined by doctors and certified dead.
His body was deposited at the morgue of the hospital.
Impeccable sources hinted that homicide detectives are probing into the circumstances surrounding the death of 59-year-old Orji.
Reports however indicated that he had been invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to report at its Abuja office on the day he was found dead, for reasons which could not be ascertained as of the time of filing this report.
Police detectives are puzzling over the motive and circumstances of his death, more so, since no suicide note was found at Orji’s residence.
It could also not be ascertained if his invitation by the EFCC was in connection with a probe on his private dealings or linked to official businesses at NABDA.
Wilson Uwujaren, spokesperson for the EFCC, said he had not been briefed on Orji’s invitation prior to his death. “I am not aware that he was invited”, he told Scudnews on telephone.
However, a senior police officer who craved anonymity confirmed the development. He said information available to the FCT police command indicated Orji was invited to report at the EFCC on August 30, 2021, the day he was found dead.
Efforts by Scudnews to get an official response from NABDA drew blank, as a female responded to calls put across a mobile telephone number on the agency’s website – 08069767475, declined comments on the issue.
An enquiry sent electronically to the agency on the incident had yet to be replied as of 3.03pm on Wednesday.
