Asuquo Cletus
A correspondent of The PUNCH Newspaper in Delta State, Matthew Ochei, has died at the age of 43.
The cause of his death is yet to be ascertained.
Ochei passed away in the early hours of Tuesday, January 6, 2026, at about 2 a.m., according to his wife, Uche, who confirmed the development to journalists.
She added that his remains have been deposited at a morgue in Ukwunzu, his hometown in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State
.
Until his death, Ochei served as the Vice Chairman of the Asaba Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists.
The news of his passing threw the media community in the state into mourning, with colleagues describing the incident as a “Black Tuesday for Delta journalists.”
In a condolence message, the Chief Press Secretary to the Delta State Governor, Festus Ahon, described Ochei’s sudden death as “very sad and painful.”
As of the time of filing this report, the family had yet to announce burial arrangements.
