Mother, three children die in their sleep in Imo

Madugba, author, medical practitioner passes on

TRAGEDY struck in Umuoma, Umuorji ,Mgbidi in Oru West Local Council of Imo State as a mother and three children reportedly died in their sleep under mysterious circumstances. They are Mrs. Rachael Igbokwe and her children, Daniel, Chioma and Baby.

Confirming the deaths to The Guardian at the weekend, the Imo State Police Command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Andrew Enwerem, a Superintendent of Police (DSP), sai, investigations have began by the authorities of the Command, stating that there had not been any suspicions to the death. Their corpses, he said, had been deposited in the morgue at St. Felix Hospital, Mgbidi, Oru West Local Council.

He said: “Yes. It happened. I was in Lagos when I was informed. Investigations have started, but there is no suspect yet.”

The deceased were said to have returned from Lagos to attend a wedding in their village and met their untimely deaths while sleeping.

Igbokwe, the father of the victims, said he was notified of the issue and forced the door to open, only to find his wife and children dead.
When asked if it could be a case of food poisoning, he said he ate the same rice cooked by his late wife before going to sleep.

A member of the community, who spoke unanimously with The Guardian, said it was a taboo for such to happen in their community, adding that the leaders of the area would search to ascertain the real cause.

“This cannot be left that way. This is a taboo. For four persons to die at the same time in a family without a known reason should call for further investigation. It cannot be left that way because such could continue, but we pray it would not happen again.”

In another development, the medical and literally fields recorded a deadly blow last Wednesday evening with the news of the death of a Director in the Imo State Public Health Department of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Sam Madugba.

Madugba, a renowned medical practitioner, poet and literally writer, was reported to have embarked on a journey to his clinic in Owerri when he suddenly complained of health issues while driving. He was aided by some people to a nearby hospital where he was certified dead. He hailed from Ngor Opkala, Imo State and was married with children.