The residents of Ugbo Paul, a suburb of Abakpa Nike, in the Enugu East council area of Enugu State, were struck by tragedy following the death of three family members and their maid after eating a meal suspected to have been poisoned.

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

It was gathered that only a nine-month-old baby girl of the family survived the tragedy, as she was not fed with the food.

Speaking on the development, one of their neighbours called Mrs Dominic Gloria, said that the family went to bed on Friday without any incident.

She said, “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,”.

The mother of late Chizoba, Mrs Elizabeth Nwankwo, who confirmed the incident on Tuesday said said she received a phone call on Saturday after the maid died.

According to her, “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,” she added.

While lamenting the tragedy, 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.

She said 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 Public Relations Officer, ASP Daniel Ndukwe, said he had no such information.

“But let me find out; I will get back to you,” he added.

He had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.

(Adopted from The PUNCH: Amended headline)

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