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Nigeria: 17 Die at Prayer Session
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This Day (Lagos)
16 July 2008
Posted to the web 16 July 2008
Emmanuel Ugwu
Umuahia
About 17 persons were alleged to have died in mysterious circumstances during a church prayer session in a private home at Umuoluihe in Alaoma community near Omoba in Isialangwa South Local Government Area of Abia State.
THISDAY gathered that the calamity involving members of a Pentecostal church actually occurred on Saturday in a locked house but the unfortunate incident came to light on Monday following the anxiety of a man whose wife attended the prayer session but did not return.
It was further gathered that the prayer session was organised by one of the victims and the zonal coordinator of the church, one Martin Iheukwumere, who had invited his fellow faithful for the family deliverance in his newly built house, said to be haunted by evil spirits.
The prayer session was said to have begun about 11.00 pm on Friday and ended at about 2 am Saturday but tragedy struck as the prayer warriors were waiting for day break before departing for their various homes.
One of the survivors, Linus Abba, recounted that the prayer had just ended when he entered the toilet to answer the call of nature, but lost consciousness after noticing smoke covering the whole room and a mysterious dwarf figure in human form.
He said he must have lost consciousness as he could not remember any other thing until he regained consciousness later at a nearby community hospital.
However, an unconfirmed source said immediately after the prayer session, a mighty wind took over the newly built house and sent the people inside crashing on the floor with many losing their lives.
It was further gathered that barely few hours after the mysterious deaths, the remains which were said to have been burnt, had already been infested by maggots, while the whole area oozed with the stench of the dead.
Speaking during his visit to the scene of the calamity yesterday, the acting Commissioner of Police in the state, Ibrahim Meishanu, said autopsy would be conducted on the remains to ascertain the real cause of death and condoled with the families of the deceased.
Deputy Governor of the state, Mr. Chris Akomas, who also visited the place expressed shock at the incident, saying it was surprising that nobody raised any alarm when the deaths occurred.
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He said the state government would do everything to unravel the mystery.
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