An 18-month-old baby boy has died after his mother, Mrs Ata Buhari, mistakenly gave him kerosene to drink instead water.
It was gathered that the incident occurred at Iguma Street, off Orewere Street, Benin City.
It was further gathered that the victim, Israel Buhari, had asked his mother for water when she gave him kerosene stored in a beverage can to drink.
The mother was said to have realized that it was kerosene after the baby took the first sip.
It was gathered that a few minutes after taking the substance, the boy’s eyes turned white as he screamed uncontrollably.
Mrs Ata Buhari, who narrated what happened, said with the help of neighbours palm oil was immediately given to the baby before he was rushed to a hospital in the area where he died a few hours later.
The woman who hails from Kogi State, said one of her children had filled an empty can of beverage with water which they took to store that fateful morning. She added that a similar container of beverage in which she stored kerosene was kept in her shop.
“When the baby complained of thirst, I mistakenly picked the one filled with kerosene”, she said.
The father of the child, Mr Buhari Hassan, 36, said he was called to the hospital where he met the corpse of his son. He appealed to the state government and kind-hearted individuals to empower him and his wife, saying his family was living from hand to mouth.
