Four children gone in three days’ – Father cries for justice over mysterious deaths

For Emmanuel Ochayi, a father of five from Amufu community in Edumoga, Okpokwu Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue state, the past few days have been nothing short of a nightmare.

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In a devastating twist of fate, Ochayi lost four of his children within just three days, leaving him and his wife struggling to come to terms with a tragedy they say they cannot explain.

The children, Abah Ochayi, 12; Veronica Ochayi, seven; Comfort Ochayi, six; and Margaret, three, reportedly fell ill after consuming soft drink allegedly handed to them by an uncle, name withheld.

The children died between August 20 and 23, 2026, according to their father, who is now calling for a thorough investigation to determine what actually caused their deaths.

Recounting the tragedy, Ochayi said he was away when the incident began, while his wife was at home with the children.

He alleged that the children’s uncle, who was returning from an event, stopped in front of his house and handed an opened bottle of soft drink to the children.

“I do not know if he tasted it before giving it to them,” Ochayi said.

According to him, the children developed health complications about three days after consuming the drink.

“After taking the drink, my four children became ill after three days. The first one was so sick that we rushed him to the hospital, but shortly afterwards, he died.

“I did not understand when the second one also started feeling discomfort. We were trying to save him, but he also died.

“We brought the corpses of the two home for burial. Suddenly, the remaining two also started feeling sick. By the next day, I lost the third one, and shortly after, the fourth died.”

The grieving father said the deaths had left him emotionally devastated, describing the experience as a pain he could hardly comprehend.

“I was completely overwhelmed. If not because it is forbidden for one to kill himself, I would have taken my life because I simply cannot understand why my four children would die in this manner,” he said.

Ochai said suspicion later fell on the person alleged to have given the children the drink, prompting members of the community to demand that he took an oath to prove his innocence.

He claimed that the man declined, while his son reportedly argued that the Bible forbids people from taking oaths.

The bereaved father also recounted a dramatic incident during a community gathering over the deaths, saying a corpse was carried on the head during the proceedings.

“I asked my late child to go after whoever did this to them, even if it was me. At that instance, the man we were suspecting fell to the ground and his plastic chair broke into pieces,” he alleged.

“He refused to take the oath to exonerate himself, but I still maintain that my children died from the poisoned drink they were given. I demand justice for my four children,” he said.

“I simply cannot understand why my innocent children would be killed in this manner. The pain is too much for my wife and me. Our children did not do anything to anybody to warrant their lives being cut short in this manner.”

Ochai said he was now left with only one child, who lives with someone in Lagos.

“I am left with one child who is in far-away Lagos, where he lives with someone. If he were at home, they would have killed him also,” he said.

Amid growing concern in the community, the Edumoga Youths Association has petitioned the Benue State Commissioner of Police, Cletus Nwadiogbu, demanding a comprehensive investigation into the deaths.

President of the association, Lucky Itodo, who disclosed this to Saturday Vanguard, said the group was determined to ensure that justice was served.

In the petition, the youths described the circumstances surrounding the deaths as “highly suspicious and unnatural,” noting that the four children reportedly died within days of one another after consuming drinks allegedly given to them.

The association asked the police to immediately investigate the deaths, invite and interrogate the person allegedly connected with the incident, and conduct post-mortem and toxicology examinations to establish the actual cause of death.

It also urged the police to arrest and prosecute anyone found culpable and provide adequate protection for the bereaved family and witnesses during the investigation.

“We condemn this gruesome act in its entirety and call on your office to act with urgency, as the community is anxious for justice to be done and for the sanctity of life to be upheld,” the petition stated.

The association said it remained willing to provide any information that could assist the police investigation.

Meanwhile, the youths have fixed September 4, 2026, for the burial of the four children, pending developments arising from the petition.

Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Peter Aondongu said the matter was reported to the Police at the Division.