By Peter Uzoma.
Culpable tension and anxiety has engulfed the Ekwonye family and indeed the Umuebe kindred of Ejemekwuru autonomous Community, Oguta LGA, as they are yet to unravel the circumstances that led to the death of their son Mr Ikechukwu Ekwonye.
The deceased, 35, an only son of the family, has an only sister too who runs a patent medicine store. His father had died long ago just as the responsibility of catering for the aged mother fell on him.
A source who pleaded anonymity told this Reporter that Ikechukwu Ekwonye, a father of five, last Friday (3/9/2021) had welcomed his wife back from the hospital where she was delivered of a boy baby.
As it is Customary in Igbo land, friends, relations and well wishers of Ikechukwu had come around to celebrate the arrival of the baby boy till late in the night when everybody dispersed.
The source said, to the surprise of the Ekwonye family and Umuebe kindred, Ikechukwu couldn’t make the next day as he was said to be bitten by a rat.
Trumpeta investigation revealed that late Ikechukwu who had gone to bed like other members of the family suddenly woke up midnight shouting, “rat has bitten me, rat has bitten me”, severally. As he shouted, he was writhing in pains and bled profusely on the leg.
All efforts by the wife, family members and neighbors to locate the said rat failed. Before succour could come he had given up the ghost.
Further investigation by this Reporter also revealed that two years ago another close relation, Mr Victor Onyia, a father of three was also bitten to death by a rat.
As at the time of filing this report, confusion is still written on the faces of Umuebe kindred elders and Ekwonye family members though the deceased has-been deposited in a morgue.
