Nine members of a family, including eight children, have died after consuming a “poisonous” meal in Jangeme village, Gusau local government area of Zamfara State.
A resident of the community told 21st CENTURY CHRONICLE that the incident happened after the children consumed Tuwo, local meal made from maize flour, prepared by their older sister who was married but came to visit the family.
He said unknown to the sister the maize she fetched from the family’s local silo to prepare the meal was contaminated.
The resident said some hours after taking the meal one of the children died, and eight others children and their older sister that prepared the meal were quickly taken to Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital in Gusau by neighbours, as their parents were not at home when the incident happened.
He said seven children and the older sister later died at the hospital, but one of the children survived and still receiving treatment.
The Public Relations Officer of the hospital, Awwal Usman, said the doctors had confirmed that the ailment originated after consuming the last meal that day.
Usman said the doctors tried hard to save the lives victims but regretted that the children were not taken to the hospital on time.
The mother of the children have also been admitted at the hospital due to shock of the incident.
