BY JUDE OSSAI / ENUGU
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A couple with three children have been confirmed dead after eating cassava meal suspected to have been poisoned by a family member.
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The tragedy occurred on Sunday, August 31, at Akpani-Neke community in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State.
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The victims are: Mr Barnabas Ikeze, Mrs Angela Ikeze, Gift Ikeze (only daughter), Divine Ikeze, Victor Ikeze.
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To this end, tension has heightened in the crisis-ridden community over the death of the five natives.
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A twist in the tragedy which angered many of the villagers arose when the elder brother of the deceased, Pastor Ignatius Ikeze alleged that one Nicholas Anyanwu who had threatened to wipe out the victims, had stormed to a private hopital, FaithLand Clinic at Ikem, a nearby community where the victims were rushed for medical treatment.
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Addressing journalists in Enugu on Wednesday, Pastor Ikeze of the Charismatic Revival Fellowship, Enugu, said he has been traumatized since the incident because he was physically present in the hospital when a nurse administered a strange substance to his brother’s wife who was battling between life and death with life supporting machine.
His words:
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“I am here to report what happened to my brother Banabas Ikeze and his family. I came back from Abuja on Saturday where we held Pastor’s conference and they told me that my brother and his family was rushed to hospital and that two of them, a boy and girl has died already.
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“I couldn’t go there that Saturday because it was late but on Sunday, 31st of August, 2025, I rushed to the hospital at Ikem community where four of them were receiving treatment and saw my brother, his wife and two other sons alive. I went to the mortuary and saw the two that have died.
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“I learnt that they ate poisoned food on Friday night and on Saturday morning they fall sick, two died and four were taken to hospital. The name of the hospital is Faith Land Clinic, Ikem also in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of the State. The four of them at hospital were recovering and my brother Banabas requested for food to eat and I bought them food.
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“I left in the evening and when I returned to the hospital, my sister who was with them told me that one man who was alleged to be responsible for this evil act came to the hospital and stayed at the door, accompanied by a nurse who tried to distract her for the man to get access inside the room where my brother and family are but couldn’t because I refused to answer the nurse and they went away.
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“So, I suspected that something is fishing and decided to sleep there. Around 10pm the nurse came and told us that it’s not safe for the children to stay with their parents and that she have prepared a room for the children
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“The man has been threatening to wipe all of us out after we defeated him in a land dispute which was before the traditional ruler of Akpani Neke.
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“Last week before this incident, the man threatened to deal with my brother because he said the truth during a meeting at the village.
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“On the night in the hospital, the nurse told us that we have to be separated as it is not convenient for us to stay in one place . I said thank you thinking that she was doing us a favour as she said she prepared different place for the children. She called the two women with me to carry my last born to another room. I followed them to the place and sat down with them. My brother and his wife were alone in other room.The nurse then returned to meet them. After sometime, my mind told me what am I doing here? So, I went to see what the nurse was doing. Behold! I saw that the nurse has removed the oxygen and putting something in the mouth of my brother’s wife. I shouted, nurse what are you putting in her mouth? If not that the battery of my phohe was down, I would have snapped what she did. At this moment, the nurse shifted and touched the body of my brother’s wife, she was already dead. I cried and followed the nurse, still shouting, nurse what have you done like this, until a Doctor told me to be quiet, that I was disturbing other patients in the hospital.
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“What we are seeking now is an intervention from Governor Peter Mbah for justice as this is a bastardly act against my brother and his children.
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Meanwhile, the prime suspect, Nicholas Anyanwu and one other are helping the police in the investigation while the nurse who was earlier arrested for her alleged ignoble role was released on bail pending the result of the autopsy.
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