It was pure apprehension that took over on Saturday at Dr. Ambrose Okereke street, behind Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, following the sudden death of a 24-year-old intended groom, Mr. Chukwuka Igbonekwu who died after he allegedly drank sniper insecticide in the Delta State capital.
The late Igbonekwu whose traditional marriage and wedding was slated for Tuesday, April 19, and Wednesday, April 20, 2022, respectively, according to his wedding card.
A source in the street said that the deceased died after quarreling with his girlfriend simply identified as Adaeze on allegation that he was leaving her to marry another lady.
“There was a fight between late Igbonekwu and his girlfriend on Thursday, March 10, 2022, after much quarreling and fighting, we decided to enter their room to enquire what was the problem.
“The lady who has been living together with him over the years until his death said that the fight was as a result of the late Chukwuka wanting to leave her for another lady.
“When we asked the deceased what was the issue, he said that he and the girlfriend are related and also both of them are the same AS genotype and therefore cannot marry.
“After the fight, they reconciled again and later we saw both of them coming out from a shopping mall and going home on Friday.
“Towards evening, the girlfriend raised alarm calling people that the late Chukwuka drank sniper, so immediately he was rushed to the hospital in Okpanam. The lady called the wife-to-be and she met them at the hospital, unfortunately, he died Saturday morning.
“They brought his corpse to the compound, after a while the family came and took the body together with the wife-to-be and the so-called girlfriend to the village without reporting to the police,” the source said.
The source said they did not involve police rather carried the body and left to their village.
The traditional marriage/wedding card indicated that the deceased hailed from Umuezeogwu village in Uzo-Uwani, Enugu State while the wife-to-be Blessing (surname held) also hailed from the same state.