One dies, four hospitalised after eating cassava flour

One person has reportedly died in Temidire Atoyebi area along Ajaawa in Ogbomosho after a family of six allegedly ate poisoned cassava flour used to prepare Amala on Wednesday.

The family was said to have consisted of a grandmother identified as Mrs. Victoria Adewole, her four children and a granddaughter.

The Nation gathered that the family became uncomfortable few hours after eating the food.

It was learnt that the family managed to extract the cassava flour from cassava peels that they grinded which they prepared as a meal, since they could not afford to buy yam or cassava flour.

Sources who pleaded anonymity said distress call from the affected family aroused attention of neighbours who rushed in and took them to a private hospital at Ogbomoso Baptist High School area where the granddaughter reportedly died.

The victims were later taken to Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Teaching Hospital in Ogbomoso.

The Nation learnt that medical personnel are battling to save yhe remaining family members.

A source said: “One of the children managed to disclose that it was cassava peels that they grinded and made into flour, which they prepared as amala, since they could not afford to buy yam or cassava flour.

“The complication from the peels, which could have been poisoned or contaminated, resulted in the death of the youngest granddaughter, whose immune system might be very low.

“The mother and her other four children are still battling with life in the hospital. We plead with kind-hearted people to please assist the family in whatever way they can so that fatality is no longer recorded among them.”

The Chief Medical Director of LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Prof. Olawale Olakulehin, confirmed the incident, saying four out of the five remaining family members are responding to treatment in the hospital.

He stated that one of the victims is in critical condition but the one died before getting to LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso.