Posted by By Akeeb Alarape, Ibadan on
People wept as if their tear glands had burst as a family of 10 was discovered stone dead in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Tuesday in their new three bedroom apartment.
People wept as if their tear glands had burst as a family of 10 was discovered stone dead in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Tuesday in their new three bedroom apartment.
Alhaji Taofeek Ayinla, popularly known as Seriki, was found dead alongside his two wives, Musili and Monsurat, a nine-year-old daughter, Suliat, eight year-old Ibrahim, and Taofeekat.
A pregnant woman, one six month-old girl, another unidentified girl and a woman suspected to be a guest of the family were also found dead in the apartment.
One of Ayinla's two wives was also said to be pregnant before her sad end.
Daily Sun learnt that the Ayinlas moved to the completed wing of their two-winged flat along Oke-Ogbere - Alagbaa area of Akanran Road in Ona-Ara Local Government of Oyo State last Thursday to celebrate the Sallah festival.
A grand house party was said to have been organised on Friday for friends and well-wishers.
But due to the remoteness of the area and lack of NEPA facilities, the Ayinlas were said to have rented a generating set which they could not return.
This disappointment forced the owner of the generating set to enquire at the Ayinlas' residence on Tuesday.
On getting there, the owner of the generator was said to have noticed blood oozing out through the main door with heavy odour pervading the whole area.
Being a new place and with nobody in sight to enquire from, the generator owner was said to have been confused and immediately left for Ogbere Police Station where he lodged a complaint.
Policemen were said to have followed him to the place and with the assistance of men of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), the kitchen door at the back of the house was forced open.
What welcomed the security men was shocking and unbelievable. Sprawled in the sitting were the entire members of the family in different agonizing positions, swollen and stone dead, with blood oozing out of their mouths.
One of them, a woman, was said to be still breathing as at the time the door was forced open.
A police officer at the scene told Daily Sun that the sight was horrible. "It was evident that they all struggled before they died. There was total confusion in the sitting room. Everywhere was disorganised. They all vomitted and the left-over of the rice they took before their death were seen in plates. It was tragic," the police officer who begged anonymity disclosed.
He further disclosed that the Ayinlas could have probably taken their supper late in the night as all the doors in the house were already locked.
When contacted, the State Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO) Mr Femi Adedeji, confirmed the incident, describing it as very tragic. He disclosed that the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Mr Jonathan Johnson, led the rescue team to the area.
Alhaji Taofeek Ayinla was said to be the Chairman of the Butchers Association, Bodija and Oje branches in Oyo State.
Sympathisers and relations of the dead were seen converging on the two complexes of the State Hospital, Adeoyo and Ring Road area. They all wept uncontrollably as many wondered what could have led to the tragic incident. The corpses of the dead have been deposited at the morgue of the State Hospital, Ring Road, while the left-over food was taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department for examination.