One pupil dead, 20 hospitalized after taking meal at traditional marriage

A 13-year-old primary school pupil has been confirmed dead, while 20 others are battling for life in different hospitals in Enugu-Ezike in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu State, after eating  at a traditional marriage ceremony last weekend.

Trouble started after the traditional marriage of Obiageli (surname witheld) when her in-laws departed to their hometown, Nrobo in Nsukka Council area. About 30 people, who ate the soup prepared for the entertainment of guests, were said to have started complaining of serious stomach upset. Things got worse around 3 am, when many guests began stooling and vomiting blood, causing pandemonium among the villagers...


The girl, who was at the wedding, reportedly gave up the ghost before medical assistance could be sought,   while others were rushed to different hospitals in Aji and Ogrute communities. One of the in-laws to the family of the newly married woman, Emmanuel Odo nwa Urama a.k.a Ite ego, who narrated what happened to Daily Sun, stated that contrary to the earlier report that six people died after taking pork served in the home of the celebrant, only one person has been confirmed dead. He stated that he also ate the pork without any sign of trouble.

Odo, however, stated that three of his children who ate the soup were affected, adding that there was strong suspicion that the soup was poisoned. He confirmed that the  bride, Obiageli, returned from her husband’s home the next morning with swollen legs and other complications, but her situation was being handled with traditional and orthodox medicines.

According to him, the bride’s family has vowed to get to the root of the matter by any possible means so as to ascertain what actually happened. Other victims who were said to be recovering in the hospital included uncle of the newly married girl, Anthony, his wife, Ijeoma and children.