The Ogaminana area of Okene local government of Kogi state was thrown into mourning on Tuesday as six residents were reportedly killed by cassava flour, popularly called white amala.
A mother, her three kids and two other kids belonging to her neighours partook in the amala feast and died from a case of suspected food poisoning.
According to the spokesman of the Adavi Local Government, Abdulhamid Salahudeen, three of the victims died on Tuesday at the Okene General Hospital while the woman and two of her children had earlier died on Monday in their house.
He said that the woman died along side three of her children, two sons and a daughter.
According to him two male children of her neighbour that partook in the meal also died .
He put the ages of the dead five children at between 9 and 15 years.
Salaudeen said that the mother had in the evening of Sunday brought the cassava flour from her farmland at Ohuepe village.
He said that the woman prepared a dinner from the flour for the family and extended the food to her neighbour.
The officer said the victims later went to bed but developed severe stomach pain over the night which later resulted in the death of the woman and two of her children.
He said that neighbours who sensed that the sudden deaths might be due to the cassava flour dinner quickly rushed the remaining three children that partook in the eating to Okene General Hospital where they also died on Tuesday.
Salaudeen said that the authority of the local government believed that the cassava flour was poisoned and had informed the police for appropriate action.
