A family of three on Friday, in Azikoro, a suburb in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, died in their sleep after a dinner suspected to have been poisoned.

Residents in the compound had noticed that the occupants were yet to wake up on Saturday and subsequently forced the door open to see their lifeless bodies.

A resident in the compound who spoke on the development on condition of anonymity, on Monday, said that the neighbours reported the incident to the Azikoro Police Division.

“They slept on Friday and did not wake up, the man drives a Keke and he wakes up daily before 5am, so we were surprised that his Keke was still parked outside in the afternoon.

“We knocked on their door and got no feedback so we forced the door open and had to rush to the Police Station to report what we saw and they took the landlord for questioning and they have been investigating,” the source said

Chief Chinedu Arthur-Ugwa, an Executive Member of Enugu Development Association, said that the remains of the deceased, who hailed from Enugu, have been taken home.

His words: “The death of our members came to us a surprise because the husband and wife who is pregnant died in their prime, we got in touch with their families in Enugu and they requested that their remains be brought home.

“We call on the law enforcement agencies to unravel the cause of this strange death.”

Mr Asinim Butswat, Police Spokesman for Bayelsa Command, confirmed the development was sad and that the cause was being investigated.

According to him, “It is a case of sudden and unnatural death. On September 21, 2018 at about 15.40hrs the landlord of the deceased reported the case.

“He said that the deceased, one Orji Igwenta, male, 35, a native of Ozallah community in Nkanu West LGA of Enugu State and a Keke rider, was found dead with the wife, Mrs Nkem Igwenta, 34.

“Also found dead with them is Obinna Ogbani, male, aged 10, a brother to Orji Igwenta.

“Also found dead by their side is a Rat which is suspected to have eaten the same poisoned food with the family.”