August 29, (THEWILL) – A 31-year-old groom, Obinna Dike, has died alongside five others, after they returned from his traditional marriage ceremony, which held at Obollor-Eke in Udenu Council Area of Enugu State on August 26.
The six victims died after they returned to their own Akutara Village in Adani community of Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area, alongside their other relatives, eight of whom are also now hospitalised.
Confirming the incident, Spokesperson of the State Police Command, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, in a statement, said, “Preliminary investigation revealed that one of the confirmed deceased victims, Obinna Dike, 31, attended his own traditional marriage ceremony at Obollor-Eke in Udenu Council Area on August 26, with his relatives and other victims of the incident.
“They thereafter went back home and continued with the celebration.
“However, the following morning, none of them came out of the room where they slept.
“This caused the door to be forced open, with all of them in the room found to be unconscious with foamy discharges from their mouths.
“They were immediately evacuated to a hospital, where six of them were confirmed dead and deposited in the mortuary for autopsy.”
Ndukwe noted that eight others had been responding to treatment, adding that the state Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Ammani, has ordered the state’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to look into the circumstances surrounding the death of the six victims.
The commissioner also directed the department to unravel why eight patients were hospitalised under the same strange circumstances in Akutara Village in Adani community of Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area.
Ndukwe said that the directives were given, following the receipt of a report alleging the sudden and unnatural deaths and hospitalisation at Akutara Village on August 27.
The police spokesman said the commissioner had already commiserated with the families and friends of the deceased.
He added that the police boss called on the residents of the community to maintain peace and support the police with necessary information in the investigation.
