TheCable

The Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) has asked South African authorities to unravel the cause of the death of Uju Ndubisi-Chukwu, its deputy director killed while attending the African Insurance Organisation (AIO) conference in Johannesburg. 

Ndubisi-Chukwu was scheduled to return to Nigeria on June 12 but her corpse was found at a room in Emperor Palace Hotel where she had lodged for the conference. 

While Ndubuisi-Chukwu was initially believed to have died in her sleep, an autopsy report from South Africa’s department of home affairs showed that she died of “unnatural causes consistent with strangulation.”

At a service of songs in her honour, Eddie Efekoha, CIIN president, said they are committed as an institution to unravel the cause of her death. 

“We have written officially to the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa and the organisers of the conference African Insurance Organisation/Institute of Insurance in South Africa to assist in getting to the bottom of this,” he said. 

“The Nigerian High Commission has in turn confirmed working with the South African Police authorities to unravel the cause of death. As the institute works with the family of Mrs Ndubisi-Chukwu and others to unravel the cause of death, we enjoin all parties concerned to exercise patience and avoid making statement that will prejudice official investigations.”

Abike Dabiri-Erewa, executive chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), had said CCTV footage showed no one entered the deceased’s room despite the autopsy report that her death was unnatural.