A husband and wife were killed in an explosion in their home in Abakiliki, Ebonyi State, Southeast Nigeria. They were identified as George and Chioma Buchi who lived in the Water Works Road area.
Reports said the woman, Chioma was the younger sister of Afrobeat singer, Patoranking. The couple were said to have built their residence newly in the area.
There were different accounts of the fire incident. One account attributed the explosion to solar light battery inverter, another said it was caused by a gas cylinder, yet another account claimed that an object was planted in the compound.
According to one of the neighbours of the couple, Nwokporo Victor Uchechukwu, “it happened in my street. We only heard the sound of an explosion in the afternoon. When we rushed to the compound, smoke was coming out of the new building with all the electronics destroyed, including the ceiling, doors, and windows damaged with glasses.
“At first we thought it was a gas cylinder explosion. Or may be any inverter; only God knows what was implanted in that house. It sounded like a bomb.”
The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Joshua Ukandu, confirmed the incident.
He said there was an explosion in the house of the couple which caused them serious injuries and they were taking to the hospital for treatment.
“They have been in the hospital, the wife died first. She is the sister of Partoranking. Her husband died September 11, 2024.
“I have not confirmed what led to the incident, whether it was a battery inverter or a gas cylinder in the house. We don’t have any confirmed facts about it.
“Investigation is ongoing now for it and I will have to call our people investigating it to find out what they have on the preliminary finding in it,” the PPRO said.
The couple was said to have left behind a 3-year-old son. The child was reportedly with his grandmother at the time of the incident.
