Chidi Samuel || Tragedy struck in Umuatuegwu community, Okija, in Ihiala local government area of Anambra State, over the weekend following the mysterious death of five members of Ndenemu family after a meal of rice.
The deceased, Albert Ndenemenu, a commercial motorcycle operator, his wife, Nwanne and their three children were said to have died in quick succession.
There had been conflicting reports as to the likely cause of death since the incident happened.
While food poisoning was suspected, others linked the calamity to the handiwork of fetish relations of the deceased family.
Close family sources said the wife of the deceased, Nnwanne, who was the last to die, had prepared rice for the family’s lunch, which all of them ate and shortly after, her husband and her children started vomiting blood.
“When residents of the village rushed into their compound following her alarm, it was discovered that they were already dead.
“The woman, on seeing the lifeless bodies of her husband and children, collapsed and was taken to Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, NAUTH, Nnewi where she too died,” the source said.
The cause of death of the entire family members is yet to be determined said the cause of death was yet to be determined as the authorities of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, where the bodies were first deposited has not conducted autopsy on the deceased.
Mrs. Nkiru Nwode, the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer confirmed the incident and said investigations had commenced to determine the real cause of death.