Tension In Enugu As Family Of Three, Maid Die Of Food Poisoning

Posted by Ignatius Okpara Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Wednesday, October 13th, 2021

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Tension has enveloped Ugbo Paul, a high density suburb of Abakpa Nike, in the Enugu East local government area of Enugu State, as a family of three and their maid died after eating a meal suspected to have been poisoned.

African Examiner gathered that only a 9 month-old baby girl of the family survived the ugly incident, as she was not fed with the food.

The victims are head of the family, Mr Lawrence Chukwu; his wife, Chizoba; their daughter, Nazareth; and the maid, Ukamaka.

A Source who gave her name as Mrs Dominic Gloria, told newsmen on Wednesday that the family went to bed on Friday without any incident.

“We woke up on Saturday morning and found the family members struggling for life.

“We didn’t know what was wrong with them and they were immediately rushed to the 82 Division Army Hospital. Later that day, their maid died.

“After a series of tests, we learnt that the food they ate before they went to sleep on Friday night was contaminated with a poisonous substance. Unfortunately, all efforts to save them failed, as the man and his wife died on Saturday, and on Tuesday morning, their two-year-old daughter equally died,” Gloria added.

The mother of late Chizoba, Mrs Elizabeth Nwankwo, also confirmed the incident to our correspondent on yestetrday.

She said she received a phone call on Saturday after the maid died.

“So, when I got there, I saw my daughter and her husband lying speechless. I took the remains of the house help to her parents for burial and before I came back, my daughter and her husband had equally died. This morning (Tuesday), their two-year-old daughter that I was hoping would survive died.

Mrs Nwankwo said the remains of her grandchild had been taken to her home town in Ameta Mgbo, in the Awgu LGA of Enugu State for burial, while the bodies of the couple were in a morgue.

According to her, the hospital informed her that the food the family ate before going to bed was contaminated with a poisonous substance.

Nwankwo appealed to Nigerians to come to her aid to take care of the family’s only surviving child.

The state Police Spokesman, ASP Daniel Ndukwe, said he had no such information, “but let me find out; I will get back to you.