Tragedy struck in Azikoro community in Yeganoa, the Bayelsa state capital, last Friday, after a man identified as Orji Igwenta (36), his Pregnant Wife Nkem (34) and his Brother, Obinna Ogbani (10), died in their sleep after they allegedly had dinner suspected to have been poisoned

According to reports, neighbors of the deceased persons had to force their door open on Saturday September 22nd, when none of them came out of the house. The suggestion that they might have been posioned gained more conviction when a rat was found dad near the corpses.

“They slept on Friday and did not wake up. The man used to drive a commercial tricycle and he woke up daily before 5am. So, we were surprised that his tricycle was still parked outside in the afternoon. We knocked on their door and got no feedback. So, we forced the door open and had to rush to the police station to report what we saw. The police took the landlord for questioning and they have been investigating the incident.” a neighbor said

Confirming the sad incident, the public relations officer of the Bayelsa State Police command, Asinim Butswat, said, “It is a case of sudden and unnatural death. On September 21, 2018, around 3.40pm, the landlord of the victims reported that the deceased, one Orji Igwenta, male, 35, a native of Ozallah community, in the Nkanu West LGA of Enugu State and a tricycle rider, was found dead with his wife, Mrs Nkem Igwenta, 34. Also found dead with them was Obinna Ogbani, male, aged 10, a brother of Orji Igwenta. Also found dead by their side was a rat, which is suspected to have eaten the same poisoned food with the family.”

The remains of the deceased persons have been taken to their homestate, Enugu, for burial.