Fresh facts have emerged over the death of two middle-aged men identified as Uche and Alloy in a well at Rumuagholu Community in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Tuesday.

The Tide investigation revealed that the number of victims would have been three but for the rescue by the fire service team of the third person, whose name could not be ascertained as at press time.

A top police officer at Rumuokoro Police Station who spoke to The Tide confirmed the incident on condition of anonymity, described the incident as sudden and unnatural as the victims were strapped in sludge mud.

The police also disclosed that the owner of the well who was invited for interrogation had been released as nothing incriminating was found on her.

When The Tide visited the community yesterday, residents were still apprehensive, but the well had been covered with the ladder the victims might have used to climb down the well before they met their untimely death.

According to an eye witness, the men had earlier used a pumping machine to drain the water before entering to clean it up and suspected that the generating set used in powering the pumping machine could have emitted smoke that choked Uche who suddenly slumped and collapsed in the well.

He disclosed that Uche’s cry for help attracted his colleague adding that both men collapsed in the mud sludge in the well.

Taneh Beemene