Death toll rises to 9 in Kogi

isaac dachen

November 4, 2016 4:13 PM

The death toll that accompanied a poisoned amala meal in Kogi State has risen to nine after more people died from the same meal.

A plate of amala and ewedu soup

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The new deaths add to the original six people reported to have died in the Ogaminana area of Okene after eating the 'Amala' made from cassava flour.

It was gathered that a middle-aged woman, her two sons, daughter and two other people lost their lives in the tragedy that occurred on Sunday, October 30, 2016.

Also Read: "Tragic: Six persons reported dead after eating amala"

Two of the new deaths include a 42-year-old woman and a 10-year-old boy, who died on Thursday, November 3, 2016, at the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja.

Confirming the incident to newsmen, the acting Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Olatunde Alabi, said that three victims of the cassava flour meal were rushed to the hospital in critical condition on Wednesday morning from Ogaminana, Adavi Local Government Area, with two of them died Thursday morning.

Dr. Alabi added that the boy died at about 4 a.m, while the woman gave up the ghost at about 10 a.m., with a third victim, a girl of about 13, still in a critical condition.

Also Read: "Double Tragedy: Husband, wife, die after eating breakfast in Ondo"

The chief medical director confirmed that though the cause of the deaths was yet to be ascertained, the hospital suspects cyanide poison from the cassava meal.

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