One person has died as a result of complications experienced after allegedly eating poisoned cassava flour used to prepare Amala (a popular meal in South West) in Ogbomoso, Oyo State.
It was gathered that the incident occurred at Temidire Atoyebi area along Ajaawa Road in Ogbomoso.
It was learned that the family of six ate the food for dinner on Wednesday night.
The family consists of a grandmother identified as Mrs. Victoria Paul Adewole, her four children, and a granddaughter.
It was gathered from sources on Thursday that the family ate the food and became uncomfortable a few hours later.
It was learned that the family managed to extract the amala from cassava peels that they ground and made into flour, which they prepared as a meal, since they could not afford to buy yam or cassava flour.
According to sources who asked not to be named, the distress call from the six family members aroused the attention of neighbors who rushed in and took them to a private hospital at Ogbomoso Baptist High School area, where the granddaughter reportedly died.
They were later taken to Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Teaching Hospital in Ogbomoso.
Our correspondent learned that medical personnel are presently battling to save the lives of the remaining family members.
A source who asked not to be named said, “However, one of the children managed to disclose that it was cassava peels that they ground 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, Professor Olawale Olakulehin, confirmed the incident.
He added that four out of the five remaining family members are still responding to treatment in the hospital.
He maintained that one of the victims is in critical condition.
“The one that gave up died before getting to LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso.
“As of this afternoon, four of the five undergoing treatment are in stable condition. However, one of them is in critical condition. I have just been updated