There was a horrific scene on Wednesday in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, when two lifeless bodies of a male and female as well as four other unconscious persons were evacuated by the police from a popular brothel.

50-50 brothel on plot 44, Uyo Street, soon after, became a tourist attraction of a sort as people thronged the area to see things for themselves, prompting the police to cordon off the building.

The incident is said to be the fourth time inmates of the brothel would be subjected to mysterious attacks by unseen persons. The last attack was said to have taken place in May this year.

50-50 was one of the happening brothels in the state capital where ladies of easy virtue sell their bodies to willing men, thereby giving the environment the hue of the latest red light district of Umuahia.

The hotel is said to be owned by a woman who bought the former residential property and rebuilt it for a commercial purpose.

It was learnt that the place was well organised and allegedly managed by a foreigner believed to be an expert in the management of such outfits. People who are aware of the existence of the brothel said since it came on stream with a good number of teenage prostitutes in-residence; it has been the hub of night crawling in Umuahia.

The discovery of the two dead bodies and the subsequent evacuation of all the victims by the police turned Uyo Street to a place of attraction as residents of Umuahia hurried to catch a glimpse of the building, forcing occupants of adjoining houses to close their shops and go into hiding.

Witnesses said they suspected something extraordinary was happening at the brothel Tuesday night following a rowdy scene in the building.

They said the commotion was short-lived as some occupants hurriedly left the building, adding that the development did not raise eyebrows because the environment was usually noisy.

“We were shocked when we came in early this morning (Wednesday) to open our shops only to learn that two persons had died in the brothel mysteriously the previous night and saw the police cordoning the place and evacuated four other persons, including the manager of the outfit who were unconscious,” another source offered.

Another resident in the neighbourhood who spoke on condition of anonymity said the latest incident was one in a series, pointing out that only that the latest incident involved deaths.

According to him, some lodgers and their patronisers were, sometime in May this year, mysteriously beaten up by unseen persons who inflicted them with injuries.

This led to many people deserting the place but new ones later came and the place began to bubble as if nothing had happened, he said, adding “this is the fourth time this type of mysterious attacks has taken place here.”

Abia State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Nta Ogbonaya, confirmed the death of two persons and the evacuation of four others from the brothel. Nta said the cause of the death was being investigated and that the result would be made public once the investigation was completed. The unconscious have taken to an undisclosed hospital for treatment.

•Photo by Boniface Okoro shows 50-50 brothel, Umuahia.

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