40 Dead after Prayer Session

This story comes out of Nigeria, and first surfaced a few days ago.

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MORE than 40 members of the Deeper Life Church in and around Umuolighe in Alaoma community near Omoba in Isialangwa South Local Government Area of Abia State died mysteriously at the weekend shortly after a family deliverance prayer session.


The incident, which occurred early Saturday morning, came to people’s knowledge on Sunday. Nigerian Tribune gathered that one Mr. Martin Iheukwumere, a zonal coordinator of the Deeper Life Bible Church, had organised the family deliverance in his newly-built house in the community and had invited other church workers and family members.


Sources also said since he built the house, he had not slept there because of alleged spiritual attack, hence his decision to invite church members and relations for the service. It was also learnt that the prayer session, which began at about 11:00 p.m. on Friday, came to an end at about 2:00 a.m. on Saturday before tragedy struck....

Read the rest at: www.tribune.com.ng...

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Now, this is one of the more intereting stories I've ever come across, during my time in the realm of the paranormal.

I feel that this story is interesting enough to inspire conversation, without me including a twist.

What are your takes on 40 people spontaneously dying, directly after a prayer session in a place that was believed to be haunted by evil spirits?

Freak natural incident, or something else?

- Chris McCollum
www.yourparanormalspace.com
L.E.M.U.R.
www.lemurteam.com

I'd almost think that they were gassed or there could have been some bioweapon thing. It would be interesting to see how the realations between the PTB and this religion, like if they've stepped on anyone's toes.

It states the session started at 11pm before coming to an end at 2am so i'm guessing some sort of food or refreshments will've been served.

It does sound like it could be some sort of poisoning with people complaining of stomach aches and others slipping into unconsciousness. Hmmmm, will be interesting to hear the outcome of this!

What about the line that said

It was also gathered that the remains of the dead were infested with maggots while the whole area was taken over by a foul odour.

In normal circumstances, doesn't it take a long time after a person had passed to hit this level of decomposition/ infestation? I wonder how long it took anyone to find the people after they died. If it was a matter of hours, then this definitely reeks of something strange.

On the report it states the prayer session began 11:00 p.m. on Friday, came to an end at about 2:00 a.m. on Saturday.

Whilst I am sure that prayer can be done anytime, it is come across quite unlikely "family mass" being conducted at this time apart from dedicated days ie Bringing in Christmas like Christian church followers do.

It certainly does read like a mass poisioning, Linus Abba the survivor who visted the toilet after prayer. only went unconcious, maybe he didn't have all his drink in the way the 40 others had. because his bladder was already partially full therefore without having the full dose of the poison, he was only rendered unconcious.

It also states A source said that immediately after the prayer session, a mighty wind took over the newly-built house which lifted the people there gathered and tossed them around the building. The source further said that the pandemonium which resulted made them to collapse against another. It would be interesting to see what else this source had to say. If the area is already steeped in superstitions and perceptions of hauntings - its highly likely this would have influenced this persons responce and therefore caused a self created false memory. if he saw everyone collasping, passing out and dying, in his eyes he may have precieved it as "an act if god or evil, or by the hand of a supernatural being".

The maggots, interesting but not unexplainable. and heres why.
www.deathonline.net... Decompistiton information


A quick summary of the relevant information is...A female blowfly lays up to 300 eggs at one time, and with numerous females visiting a corpse, the number of maggots can be immense. For example, 48,562 maggots were found on a 156 g piece of meat after 24 hours exposure. However, because this was insufficient food to sustain them, only 231 flies finally emerged. In warm weather, conducive to fly growth, maggots can consume 60 per cent of a human body in less than a week.
In an country high in issues, such as viruses, sickness and therefore death. Insects are rife in the region.

From the information shown above a case of high decomposition within 24 hours, covered in maggots in not unusual for this area of the world.

[EDIT: 3 typos corrected]

[edit on 3-9-2008 by KristianTNA]

Well, that explains the maggots. Thanks for the information, you learn something every day

Unfortunately, I'm still leaning towards some sort of mass poisoning as opposed to something supernatural. The "wind" everyone felt could have easily been a mass hallucination. There are documented events (pardon the lack of links to support at the moment...) where, in a group of people in highly susceptible states like this, it can take as little as one person feeling/ seeing/ hearing something to set off the entire group claiming the same.

[edit on 9/3/2008 by CeltAngel]

What ever happened they are better off, are they not. Look at the world we live in, its a joke for murderers and scum.

they are better off.

Intersting thread! I am curious to know if they were situated near one of many "lakes of death" in that region? There have been several documeted cases of methane gas that has built up under the lakes that eventually explodes to the surface in a massive invisible cloud - as it moves over the mainland it settles in lower valleys and kills any who it smothers.

ColoradoJens

[edit on 3-9-2008 by ColoradoJens]

reply to post by ColoradoJens
I believe it wasn't methane but Carbon Dioxide. Lake Nyos in Cameroon.

Thanks - yes. Something jogged an old memory when I read this thread. Perhaps there have been some similar icidents with natural explinations (not saying this is the case here), but it is worth investigating.

shomer shabbaz dude, shomer shabbaz (sp?)

ColoradoJens

reply to post by ColoradoJens


Thanks man... It was the first thing I thought of too. It is a strange case and also reminiscent of Jonestown.

I can still distinctly remember the cover of Time Mag after J-town. Ahhh, not so good...that to me is one of the most amazing in a long line of modern religious nuts stories...

And a good day to you sir!

ColoradoJens

Nice find! Can anyone else dig up some information on this? You'd think such a strange event would have a bit more coverage.

Agreed. I don't know how this all works as I'm somewhat new, but it seems that when someone doesn't repsond asap, the thread gets buried. This seems like an intersting topic yet nada. Hmmm.

ColoradoJens