BREAKING: Enugu Family Of Six Hit By Tragedy As Father, Mother, Three Children Die After Meal

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Tragedy has hit Neke Akpani autonomous community in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State as five members of the same family lost their lives after eating their evening meal, leaving only one child alive and battling for survival. Read Our Last Post: Why Are the Young Dying More Than the Old? My Facebook Timeline Is Now Full of Obituary Posters

The victims were identified as Mr. Barnabas Ikeze, his wife Angela, and their four children. Family sources explained that on the night of Thursday, August 29, they had their usual meal and went to bed. Not long after, they began to complain of serious stomach pains. By morning, the situation had worsened, and neighbours rushed them to FaithLand Clinic in Ikem community.

Sadly, one of the children, Divine Ikeze, died on the way to the hospital. His sister, Gift, the only daughter of the family, died as soon as they arrived at the clinic. The remaining four – Barnabas, Angela, their first son Marvelous and their last child Victor – were admitted for treatment. Hope that they might recover soon turned into greater sorrow when Barnabas, his wife, and their youngest child all died on Sunday night. Out of a family of six, only the first son, Marvelous, survived.

The elder brother of the late Barnabas, Pastor Ikeze Ignatius, described the incident as a nightmare he never thought he would face. He explained that he was away in Abuja for a conference when the tragedy started. When he came back, he met his brother, his wife, and two of the children alive. His brother even asked him to get them food. They all ate, they talked, and he believed they were recovering. But before the night ended, three more of them had died, leaving only Marvelous alive.

Through tears, Pastor Ignatius raised strong suspicion that his brother’s death may not be ordinary. He mentioned the name of one Mr. Nicholas Anyanwu, a man from the community who had a land dispute with the family. He alleged that the man had openly threatened to kill his brother during a clan meeting a week earlier.

He also expressed worry about the strange conduct of hospital staff. He recounted how a nurse was seen tampering with his brother’s wife’s oxygen supply and trying to put something into her mouth. According to him, he caught her in the act and shouted, asking what she was doing, but the nurse dashed out of the room without any explanation. He also revealed that the nurse later tried to move the two children to another ward, which made him more suspicious.

The family immediately reported the matter to the police in Ikem that night. The police promised to investigate and bring those involved to justice. Before the family could return to the hospital, Barnabas and his youngest child had already died, leaving Marvelous as the only survivor. He was later transferred to ESUT Parklane Teaching Hospital, then Niger Foundation, and finally referred to the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital for further treatment.

The police later arrested the main suspect, Nicholas Anyanwu, and also took into custody the nurse, her husband, and the doctor in charge of the hospital. Pastor Ignatius said the doctor tried to persuade him not to pursue the matter, asking him to allow the dead to rest, but he refused, insisting that justice must be done for his late brother, his wife, and his children. He called on the Enugu State government to intervene and ensure the matter is not swept under the carpet.

At the time of filing this report, efforts to reach the spokesperson of the Enugu State Police Command were not successful, as calls to his phone were unanswered. Attempts to speak with the suspects were also not possible since they were already in police custody.

The community of Neke Akpani remains in shock and mourning as friends, neighbours, and relatives struggle to come to terms with the death of an entire family after a simple meal. What was supposed to be an ordinary evening turned into a dark tragedy that has left many questions, tears, and anger in its wake.