The Abia State Police Command has launched an investigation into the death of a family of five found inside their residence in Umuimo, Osisioma Ngwa Local Government Area of the state.
The victims, identified as Mr. Kachi Nnabugwu, his wife, Mrs. Chinaza Nnabugwu, and their three young children, were discovered dead on Wednesday after neighbours and relatives forced open the door to their home.
According to reports, the family had not been seen since Sunday, raising concerns among residents. After repeated knocks on the door went unanswered, neighbours and community members gained entry into the house, where they found the decomposing bodies of all five family members.
Sources said containers of leftover food and a generator set were found inside the residence during the initial inspection.
The bodies were evacuated from the compound and deposited in a mortuary, while residents called on the authorities to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the deaths.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Abia State Police Command, DSP Maureen Chinaka, said the Osisioma Divisional Police Headquarters received a report from the deceased’s brother on July 22 after repeated attempts to reach the family proved unsuccessful.
According to the police spokesperson, the deceased’s brother, accompanied by other relatives, visited the residence in Umuimo Village and forced entry after several knocks yielded no response.
She said officers who visited the scene carried out a preliminary examination of the bodies, documented the scene with photographs, and evacuated the corpses to the morgue for preservation and autopsy.
DSP Chinaka added that investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the deaths.