Nigerian singer and former The Voice contestant dies aged 26 after being bitten by a snake in her sleep

An aspiring Nigerian singer has died after a horror snake bite incident. Ifunanya Nwangene shot into the spotlight after appearing on The Voice Nigeria in 2021 and was known for her versatility, singing jazz, opera, classical music and soul. The BBC reports the 26-year-old was bitten by a snake while she was sleeping and died shortly after arriving at a local hospital. Hilary Obinna, another friend who sang alongside her, told the BBC that she had been asleep when "the snake bite woke her up." Nwangene first went to a local clinic for treatment, but they didn't have any antivenom so she went to a hospital. Close friend Sam Ezugwu also told the publication he rushed to the hospital on Saturday after learning that she had been taken there. He said the hospital had one of the required antivenoms but not the other."While they were trying to stabilise her, she could not speak but she could make hand gestures. She was struggling to breathe," he added.READ MORE: Heidi Klum waddles onto the red carpet in polarising gownREAD MORE: Kim K and F1 star spark dating rumours following getawayIN PICTURES: Every sensational arrival at the 2026 Grammys red carpetEzugwu said he drove out to search for the missing antivenom but returned to find that she had died.In a statement, the hospital denied that the venom had been unavailable and said claims its response had been inadequate were "unfounded and do not reflect the reality of the situation"."Our medical staff provided immediate and appropriate treatment, including resuscitation efforts, intravenous fluids, intranasal oxygen, and the administration of polyvalent snake antivenom," The Federal Medical Centre, Jabi said on Sunday. It said that Nwangene had suffered severe complications from the bite and her condition had deteriorated fast, before she was transferred to intensive care.Medics were unable to revive her, according to the statement. https://www.instagram.com/p/DQWnePCjLv_/?utm_source=ig_embed&Obinna claimed there were two snakes found in her home after she was bitten. Videos circulating on social media show a snake handler removing a snake from Nwangene's apartment. In one clip, people can be heard screaming, "It's a cobra!" Nwangene, who was also a qualified architect, was planning to stage her first solo concert later this year.FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.