Family Of 7 Die Mysteriously After Eating Meal In Benin

A family of seven has been feared dead after eating a meal in Benin.

The ugly incident happened at No 40, Otete Street, off Textile Mill Road, Ogida quarters, in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State.

When Saturday Sun visited the victims’ house at No 40, Otete Street, off Textile Mill Road, Ogida Quarters, the place was deserted while a few sympathizers were seen outside the compound.

Speaking on the incident, one of the residents of the area who lives opposite the deceased house, Mrs. Christy Igbinadolor, said she was in her house that morning when a man came to ask her about the whereabouts of her neighbours.

She said she advised the man to go to the house and knock at their door and if there is no response, he should go to the police station and report.

“This morning, when I woke up, I sat outside and I saw one man who came to ask me where are these people (the victims) and I replied him that I am just waking up from sleep.

“I told him that I just sat down here reading my Bible. I said I have not seen them this morning but the only thing I see, is that, when I woke up last night, there was light in their house but when I woke up this morning, there was no light again.

“So, from there, the man went to the compound and knocked at their door. And I asked what happened, he said it is their senior brother in Port Harcourt. He said their senior brother called him and that he should come down and find out what was going on.

“I told him that when there is no response, the only thing he should do is to go to the police station and report.

“So, the man went to the police station and when he came back, he came with some policemen and some members of the man’s church.

“So they broke the door and found out that some of them have died. So, they carried them to the hospital.

“So, I asked them to call their father. So they called their father and when he came, he went inside the house and found out that his children were lying on the floor.

“They dragged about five of them out. Some of them have babies because one of the man’s daughters came with her children.

“The man’s children were grown up and they were the ones staying in the house while two of the man’s children were staying with the man’s late wife but they decided to come and mourn their mother here in Benin when this incident happened”, she said.

Another sympathizer, Mrs. Rachael Anyanwu, said the man who has lost his children to food poisoning, lost his wife five days ago and that those who have been rushed to the hospital were his children and his relatives who came to sympathize with him over the loss of his wife.

Anyanwu said they tried so hard to revive one of the children but all was to no avail before they were rushed to the hospital.

“The man lost his wife last week Sunday and today making it five days now. Those who were rushed to the hospital this morning were his children and other relatives who came to sympathize with the man over the death of his wife.

“I know the man as an evangelist while his late wife was a pastor”, she said.

Another sympathizer, Mr. Felix Ejiofor, who rushed the victims to Central Hospital, Benin, said he heard people crying at the compound which drew his attention and when he got there, he saw policemen already at the scene, adding that when he looked closely, two of the children were already in their school uniforms while a pot of food was also closed by.

“So, I decided to help them by rushing them to the hospital for quick medical attention.

When Daily Sun Correspndent got to the Central Hospital, the body of one of the victims was already inside a Van but one Solomon Omo-Osaro who said he brought one of his persons to the hospital for medical attention, said that he saw them rushing four others into the hospital.

“I have a patient here, it is an emergency, as I was about going out, I saw them rushed a woman here with some family members but when I got here, I noticed that the Doctor was trying to revive her. Others that came with her, have been rushed to the Central Hospital.

“I heard it was food poisoning that they have to break into their apartment to save the situation. I was told that somebody has been calling the family and nobody picked.

“The woman has to call a neighbour to see what is happening in their house, then, behold, when they tried to enter, they discovered that the place was locked but they have to break in. And when they did, they discovered that there were bodies lying on the floor. So they decided to rushed them to the hospital.

“I don’t actually know the number but I saw them rushing four of them inside the Central Hospital”, he said.

When contacted, Edo State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Chidi Nwabuzor, declined to comment saying he was yet to briefed on the incident.

 

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