Youths burn market over strange deaths

Irate youths of Ute-Okpu, Ika North East Local Government Area of Delta State, on Tuesday, November 10, took to the streets to protest rising deaths of youths in the area.

It was learnt the youths got angry after four of them died.

The protesters reportedly burnt the market, but were unable to raze the monarch’s palace as they were stopped by a team of soldiers and policemen.

About 34 persons have died mysteriously in the last three weeks.

A resident, Roland Chuks Agbontai, who lost his 22-year-old son, is convinced that the strange deaths have not abated because the communal deities, Agba-Egbo and Akpu, have not been properly appeased.

He said after the youths consulted the oracle, they were told to appease both deities. But while Agba-Egbo was appeased, Akpu’s shrine was left desolate after a church uprooted the deity, he added.

But Commissioner for Health Dr Ononye Mordi attributed the deaths to yellow fever.

Police spokesman Onome Onowakpoyeya confirmed the incident.