A team of forensic experts from the Force Headquarters, Abuja, led by a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP)arrived Abia State Friday to unravel the mystery surrounding the death of some Deeper Life Church members in Omoba area of Isiala Ngwa Local Government Area.

Sunday Independent gathered from reliable sources that the death toll in the incident had risen to 23, as three out of the eight surviving persons evacuated to a nearby hospital in the area had given up the ghost.

It was also gathered that the corpses of those involved in the incident as well as the remaining survivors have been removed to the Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba, for more intensive observation.

According to the DCP, Ibrahim Maishanu, the police command has continued to carry out investigations into the cause of the incident and the forensic experts came in to fully complete the investigation.

He said the team had already been to the scene of the incident as well as spoken to all the necessary people, adding that they would visit the mortuary to take samples with which to carry out their laboratory tests.

The command, he says, has not come to a conclusion as to the cause of the incident and whatever conclusions to be reached would be informed by the outcome of the laboratory investigations to be conducted by the experts.

On rumours that the cause of death might be from spiritual attacks, he said that the police had refused to be dragged into such thinking, as everything would be hinged on the outcome of the forensic findings by the experts.

The police chief, however, said upon arrival at the scene of the incident, it was discovered that a generator was around the corner and that on-the-spot investigations revealed that it was on until it ran out of fuel.

He did not rule out the possibility that the cause of death might have been from the fume of the generator.

Speaking also to Sunday Independent on the matter, Dr. Anthony Agbazuere, chairman of Isiala Ngwa Local Government Area, said after the incident was uncovered, he caused the corpses of the affected victims to be removed to a mortuary, while survivors were also sent for treatment.

He explained that after the visit and instructions of the Abia State deputy governor, Chief Chris Akomas, he also moved to fumigate the entire scene of the incident so that epidemic does not hit the community.