It was a black Tuesday for journalists in Delta State and the Nigerian media as a correspondent of The Punch, Mr Matthew Ochei, died in the early hours of yesterday, after a brief illness. Ochei passed away at about 2:00 a.m., aged 43, leaving behind his wife, Mrs Uche Matthew Ochei, and three children. We pray that God will console you and give you the right frame of mind to bear this loss,” Oyowe added. Also speaking, the chairman of the Asaba Correspondents’ Chapel, Comrade Ifeanyi Olannye, described Ochei’s death as a painful personal and professional loss. As colleagues, friends and the wider media community mourn his passing, Ochei is remembered not just as a reporter, but as a committed professional whose voice helped sustain journalism in difficult times.

Source: The Guardian January 07, 2026 03:32 UTC