Mother, her three children, two others die in Kogi State after eating Amala

Six people, including a mother, three of her children and two of their neighbours died on Tuesday, Nov. 1st, in Ogaminana area of Okene in Kogi State after eating a meal made from cassava flour.

The Public Relations Officer of the Adavi Local Government, Mr Abdulhamid Salahudeen, who confirmed the tragic incident said that three of the victims died on Tuesday at the Okene General Hospital while the woman and two of her children had earlier died on Monday in their house. 

The woman died along side three of her children; two sons and a daughter while two male children of her neighbour, who also ate the food also died. The children are aged between 9 and 15 years.

Giving further details, Salaudeen said that the mother had on Sunday evening, Oct. 30 brought the cassava flour ( white Amala) from her farmland at Ohuepe village, which she used to prepare dinner for her family and gave some of the food to her neighbour. The victims developed severe stomach pain hours later and died.

He said that neighbours who sensed that the sudden deaths might be due to the cassava flour dinner quickly rushed the remaining three children that partook in the eating to Okene General Hospital where they died on Tuesday.

Salaudeen said that the authority of the local government believed that the cassava flour was poisoned and had informed the police for appropriate  action. A senior nursing officer at the Okene General Hospital, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the death of the three victims at the hospital.

Meanwhile, Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has appealed for calm following the incident. Apart from the ongoing police investigation, the governor said health officials are also investigating the matter.