70-yr-old woman, son, grandchildren die after consuming amala in Kwara

A 70-year-old woman, her son and grandchildren have died after reportedly consuming amala in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

The incident occurred in Eruda community, Ilorin, on Tuesday in a suspected case of food poisoning.

The victims were reportedly rushed to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) where they passed away.

Four other victims said to have also eaten from the same yam flour are recovering at the hospital where they are receiving treatment.

• Niger pensioners get benefits 21 years after retirement
• Use of force against protesters crime against humanity – Atiku

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina El-Imam, who confirmed the incident during a briefing on Tuesday, further disclosed that another death was recorded at Osin Gada, in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara as a result of gastroenteritis (stomach flu).

Speaking on the suspected food poisoning, the commissioner stated that the ‘amala’ made from lafun could have been responsible for the death.

She explained further that those who consumed yam flour without the ‘lafun’ were fine.

“Some are doing well and hopefully, following intensive medical treatment, should be able to recover fully. It was observed that the residence was in a location where personal and environmental hygiene was not optimal.

“This is a case of chemical food poisoning, potentially due to under-processed cassava used in the production of lafun,” she stated.

In the case of stomach flu, El-Imam noted that an Initial Rapid Diagnostic Test was conducted on the suspected case of cholera, which turned out to be gastroenteritis. 

In another incident, six people have reportedly died in Anyoke, Okunchi Ward, Adavi LGA of Kogi State after consuming suspected contaminated cassava flour.

Daily Trust gathered that the victims began experiencing “watery diarrhoea and vomiting simultaneously,” shortly after eating the cassava-based meal last week.

The eight members of the household who consumed the contaminated cassava flour (amala) were rushed to three different hospitals in the area when initial local remedies failed to resolve the symptoms.

Unfortunately, six of them, diagnosed with multiple organ failure resulting from the contaminated food, succumbed to complications and died.

The remaining two victims survived after receiving necessary medical treatment and have since been discharged from hospital.

Meanwhile, the Kogi State Ministry of Health has constituted a committee to investigate the suspected food poisoning incident in Adavi LGA that led to the six deaths.

The state’s Commissioner for Health, AbdulAzzez Adams Adeiza, who visited the two survivors before their discharge, stated that an investigation is ongoing.

“A specialised team, consisting of state and WHO (World Health Organisation) officials, including the Disease Surveillance and Notification Officer (DSNO), and local health officials, has been deployed to investigate the outbreak,” he said.