The tragic death of fast-rising Nigerian singer Ifunanya Nwangene has taken a sinister turn, with legal representatives alleging she was the victim of a calculated assassination using venomous snakes.

Nwangene, a breakout star from The Voice, was pronounced dead after reportedly sustaining a cobra bite while sleeping in her Abuja home. However, what initially appeared to be a freak accident is now being investigated as a potential homicide. Her lawyer has publicly called for a comprehensive probe, citing "indisputable evidence" that the presence of the reptiles was not natural.

A House of Snakes

The circumstances surrounding the discovery of the snakes are chilling. Following her death, a professional snake handler was summoned to the residence and uncovered a scene straight out of a horror movie. Three separate snakes were found on the premises: a medium-sized cobra was discovered inside the very room where she slept, another was coiled under her doormat, and a third was found prowling within the compound.

• Suspicious Placement: "Snakes do not coordinate attacks," her lawyer argued. "To find three distinct snakes in strategic locations suggests human agency."
• The Cobra: The specific species found in her bedroom is known for its lethality and is rarely found inside modern Abuja residences without cause.
• Delay in Help: Questions are also being raised about the timeline of events between the bite and her arrival at the hospital, where anti-venom was administered too late to save her.

Industry in Shock

The news has sent shockwaves through the West African music industry. Fans and colleagues are taking to social media, demanding justice for a talent whose light was extinguished too soon. The police have yet to release an official statement on whether the case classification has changed from accidental death to homicide, but pressure is mounting.

As the investigation unfolds, the focus remains on the "snake charmer" theory—the idea that someone with specific knowledge of reptiles was hired to plant the deadly animals. For Ifunanya's family, the grief is now compounded by the terrifying possibility that her death was not fate, but murder.