IN IMO HOTEL - STUDENT, OTHER DIE

In Owerri Imo State, residents of Edede on Friday, woke up to hear the news of the mysterious death of two male staff members of Home Best Hotel, who passed away in their sleep in the same room in the hotel.

The incident, narrated by an eyewitness, said one of the deceased, Chima Nnadi, 25, a part-time student of the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Owerri, who hails from Enyiogugu, Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State, put off a generating set that was running close to their room at about 11,39 pm.

The eyewitness added that Nnadi retired into the room where Chukwunonso Ebubealo, 29, from Awka in Anambra State, was already asleep.

Another employee of the hotel found both men dead after forcing the door of their room open on instruction from the hotel manager, simply known as Ngozi, after both men were not seen at there duty posts at about 9am on Friday.

Anayo Adiele, the Chief Vigilante of the area, said the deceased staff had a good relationship and dismissed any allegation of both taking their own lives.

One of the residents of the area, who declined to disclose his identity, said, "I don't think they died of any generator fume, they put off the generator before going to bed. I think both of them might have died of poison from the last meal they ate that night."

Andrew Enwerem, the state Police Public Relations Officer, said he had yet to be briefed officially on the tragic incident.

It was also reported that the corpse of the young men have since been deposited at the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, for autopsy.