Tragedy struck in Ibafo, in the Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State when a couple, Mr. and Mrs. Tunji Lawal, were found dead in their house after inhaling generator fumes.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the Lawals, who had just moved to their newly built apartment in Isokan Estate, Ibafo, both worked in the Bariga area of Lagos State. They hailed from Ibadan, Oyo State.
Our correspondent gathered from neighbours that the Lawals were found dead in their house on Monday, March 30, with their generator working in one of the rooms in the building. The matter was reported to the Ibafo Police Division.
One of the neighbours, who identified himself simply as Daniel, said they suspected the couple was killed by the generator fumes, adding that the generator was still running when they forced the door open.
He said, “When we knocked on their apartment’s door, there was no response. We also called them on their phones without result. We then broke into the house, where we saw both of them dead on the bed.
“Immediately we discovered their lifeless bodies, we alerted the police to the incident and also called and their family members.”
Our correspondent learnt that when the house was broken into, Mr Lawal was found on the bare floor, while the wife still lay on the bed.
Another neighbour, who declined to mention her name, said the residents were attracted by the sound of the running generator, adding that such was unusual in the house.
She said, “Usually, they leave home very early every Monday. But, on that day, we noticed that the generator was still working by 8am, which was unusual. So, we knocked on the door but there was no response. When we later forced it open, we discovered the corpses.”
The first child of the couple, Afeez Lawal, argued that he did not believe that his parents were killed by the fumes. He called on the police to investigate the matter thoroughly.
He said, “The incident is very shocking to me. I was informed on the telephone and when I got home, I saw a huge crowd in front of my parents’ house.
“Neighbours said it was generator fumes, but I still wonder how my parents did not wake up if it was fumes. Daddy was a light sleeper. He sometimes listened to news till the midnight.
“Both of them did not stay in Ibafo. They only came home for weekends. I want the police to adequately investigate this case.”
The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Muyiwa Adejobi, confirmed the incident, adding that the police had released the bodies to the family for burial.
He said, “When we performed a post-mortem, it was revealed that fumes killed them. We have released their bodies to the family for burial.”
