A policeman identified simply as Saheed has died alongside his wife and her five children inside her home at Elegbaata village, Oke Suna, Apomu, in Isokan Local Government Area of Osun State.
It was learnt that eight family members slept in the home on Monday night.
The attention of the neighbours was said to have been drawn on Tuesday as the door of the house remained shut late into the morning.
A resident said that some of the neighbours, having knocked and failed to get a response, summoned courage and broke down the door.
The resident said that the bodies of seven of the family members were discovered while the eighth person was found still breathing and rushed to a hospital for medical attention.
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“What we saw was scary. All of them that slept in the house, except one, had died; husband, wife, and five children all dead. But one person that also slept in the house was rescued alive and taken to a hospital. Some people that arrived at the scene first said they inhaled odour of a chemical, but I can’t say specifically what killed them.
“The house where the incident happened belonged to the wife. The man that was found dead was married to the woman, but those children belonged to another man. The man had his own house also in Apomu. He was a policeman and was known as Saheed,” The Punch quoted the resident as saying.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Yemisi Opalola confirmed the development.
The police spokesman noted that an investigation was ongoing to unravel the cause of the deaths.
“Operatives have removed the deceased for autopsies. They were taken to the OAU Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife. But investigation has commenced, even though we have not made any arrest.
“The person that was rescued alive is receiving treatment at a private hospital in Apomu; he is responding to treatment,” she said.