By Owen Akenzua, Asaba
#TrackNigeria: There was a palpable tension in the early hours of Wednesday that unsettled residents of Oviorie-Ovu Community in Ethiope East local government area of Delta.
The tension arouse following the shocking discovery of two middle- aged men allegedly found dead in a well of a neighbouring Ekpagha Community in the area.
The victims identified as Ochuko Kennedy and Mapoipo Ejiro, were found dead in the well on Wednesday after a long search for their whereabouts in the last five days by their relations, including hired search party.
But a member of the victims’ family who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity said “the victims were contracted to resurface an earth well that has been abandoned due to dryness, unknowingly to them that an existing water goddess reportedly known as Asindjere, has relocated into the well.
“When the first victim got into the well, the goddess reportedly felt disturbed since the tree that used to be its original home had fallen and has resorted to avoid further disturbance by relocating to the long abandoned well, yet they refused to allow it to rest.
“The victims were allegedly slapped severally by strange goddess and they started shouting till they gave up the ghost inside the well,” he said.
It was gathered that the second victim Mapiop Ejiro had waited for the first victim, Ochuko Kennedy to come out of the well to no avail and he decided to go into the well to see what was keeping his business colleague so long to come out.
Unfortunately, he too was allegedly slapped by the goddess severally and subsequently gave up the ghost inside the well.
The Police Public Relations officer (PPRO), DSP Onome Onovuwakpoyeya who confirmed the incident to our correspondent said the bodies of the victims were found lifeless inside the well after a long period of searching for their whereabouts.
He added that it was strange to have found their eyes battered with marks of injuries looking like hard slaps.
Some elders of the community who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity said, “the well has turned into Asindjere dreaded goddess and the victims did not know, their bodies can’t be buried without appeasing the gods, the well is now goddess of the community, so the people just lost their lives for the sake of money.”
As at the time of filing this report, residents including relations of the victims who had been in tears, described the men as hardworking and law-abiding indigenes of Oviorie Ovu Community.
They were said to have contributed immensely towards the development of the community, especially during town hall meetings.
