There have been widespread concerns as no fewer than 43 people died of suspected food poisoning in various states across Nigeria.
The fears centre on potential chemical contamination and the poor hygienic conditions under which many food items are processed in Nigeria.
Lately, fatal food poisonings have been reported in Sokoto, Kano, Kogi, Anambra, Nasarawa and Kwara states. Last week, in Eruda community of Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State, a 70-year-old woman, her 34-year-old son and two grandchildren died shortly after eating a yam flour meal (amala).
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On Monday this week, in Oshin community, Asa Dam area of Ilorin, a housewife and her three children, all less than 10 years, reportedly died at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital after consuming a rice meal.
The father of the deceased is still on admission in the same hospital at the time of this report.
Earlier this month, four children and their mother were confirmed to have died of suspected poisoning at Abubor Nnewichi community, in Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Also, in Sokoto State, a family of seven were reported to have died after eating a cassava delicacy at Runjin Barmo village of Kajiji District in Shagari Local Government Area.
On Sunday, in the same Shagari LGA of Sokoto State, five, out of seven members of a family died after allegedly consuming a soup prepared with a local fertiliser popularly known as Gishirin lalle.
Confirming the incident, the State Commissioner for Health, Asabe Balarabe said the tragedy occurred in Kaurar Wanke village, when the victims consumed the soup, prepared with the substance, mistaking it for seasoning.
According to the commissioner, three of the victims died on Friday while the remaining two died in her presence at Specialist Hospital Sokoto on Sunday. It was a similar story in Nasarawa State more than a week ago when six people from the same family died in Gidinye community of Obi LGA after a meal.
In Kano, the death of a mother and her five kids from abdominal complication treatment, after eating a local delicacy in Karkari village, Gwarzo LGA of the state, was said to have evoked tears and emotions from residents.
The deceased were said to have consumed Danwake, a local delicacy made from an expired cassava flour.
According to a neighbour of the family, the widow, who was catering for her five children, used expired cassava flour to prepare the meal.
Few days ago, the Kogi State Government announced that six persons died after eating cassava flour said to have been contaminated in a household at Anyoke, Okunchi Ward, in Adavi LGA of the state.
Commenting on the Kwara incident, the state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina El-Imam, said that amala made from lafun (cassava flour) could have been responsible for the deaths at Eruda.
“It was observed that the residence was in a location where personal and environmental hygiene was not really optimal. This is a case of chemical food poisoning, potentially due to under-processed cassava used in the production of lafun”, she stated.
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