The house of the victims of the food poison in Egbelu, Nguru Umuowa community in Ngor Okpala was almost scary; the silence around the house was frightening as even fowls in the compound felt the impact of the cold hands of death.  Our reporter,  who visited the deserted house said that it took the courage of a journalist to come close to the house where the meal that wiped out the family of eight stood above.

Few villagers who walked across the compound took a conscious glance at the home of the Nwosus as if to say, “Woe betides this house”.  Only the bush and the flowers in front gave a sign of life as every other thing was abandoned in the bid to take care of the inmates who eventually lost their lives.

Narrating the story, Chief Linus Eke, Chairman of the village and a representative of HRH Eze A.A. Unanka, the Eze Udo I of Nguru/Umuowa autonomous community said that the deceased died at intervals.  He explained that three of the girls gave up the ghost on Thursday morning in their church – the Eternal Sacred Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim Nguru where Gladys their mother had taken them to for spiritual rejuvenation as against the discomfort they felt after what was supposed to be their usual supper.  “When I got the news on Thursday afternoon, I rushed to the church where I met a confused looking Gladys.  She started informing me about the horrible situation of her daughters which made her seek for spiritual help in their church.  It was Gladys, the chief noted, who prepared the meal and the ugba.  She later informed me that the ugba had been in her custody for many years”,

The scenario according to Chief Linus took a different dimension on Friday at the General Hospital Umuneke where Gladys had sought for medical attention for the rest of the victims.  But it was that day he said, that Gladys and the youngest daughter about four years old died.

Sad enough the remaining two daughters, he continued, died on Saturday and Sunday respectively at Federal Medical Centre Owerri where they were admitted for proper medical attention.

The Chairman of Egbelu village further clarified that Osinachi Iwuala the only male among the victims and a visitor to the family, who also participated in the meal died at St. Augustine’s Hospital Ulakwo where his father had rushed him for medical treatment.

Meanwhile, different rumours have been making round the village and beyond regarding the  exact cause of the  Nwosu tragedy.  Some of the villagers in their low voices were saying that some devilish-minded persons amongst them might have masterminded their death.  This they believed could be perfected through orthodox means.

Others insinuated that such inexplicable death could occur in a situation where family members are not living in harmony with others.  They speculate that someone not far from the family might have poisoned their food, with the intention of wiping away the entire family so as to inherit their possessions.

Some even imagine that the gods are angry and perhaps have struck.

Giving more insight to the incident, Dr. Desmond Ohanenye, a resident doctor at the General Hospital Ngor-Okpala where the bodies have been deposited said Gladys and her little daughter developed what he called a muscle twitching with the manifestation of fever, hypertension, vomiting and stooling.  He stated that their situation was a clinical picture of gastro-enteritis which diagnosed as food poison.  A cursory look at the situational background of the deaths, the doctor continued, “the impression of food poison should not be debunked”.  He requested that their case calls for an enquiry into some rodents or any household animal which he believed must have tasted and infected the food without the knowledge of the deceased.

However, Dr. Ohanenye advised that autopsy should not be used as a terminus of investigation.  He advised that, a forensic examination of the family house and on the said oil bean be carried out in order to have a comprehensive understanding of the incident.

Meanwhile, the Divisional Police Headquarters of Ngor-Okpala, has begun investigation into the matter and the cause of the tragedy is still at the time of filing this report a matter of conjecture.

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