Kogi State Government has commenced an investigation into the circumstances

surrounding the death of six persons after eating cassava flour that may have been

contaminated.

ATN gathered that the incident occurred last Wednesday in a household in Anyoke,

Okunchi Ward, Adavi Local Government Area of the state. The eight victims were

rushed to three different hospitals, where six of them died due to multiple organ

failure. The two surviving victims have since been discharged.

The state Commissioner for Health, AbdulAzzez Adeiza, who had visited the survivors

before their discharge, said that a specialised team consisting of state and World

Health Organisation’s officials, including the Disease Surveillance and Notification

Officer, and local health officials, has been deployed to investigate the outbreak. He

said, “Samples of the cassava flour have been collected for toxicological analysis in

collaboration with the state Ministry of Agriculture.

The Kogi State Ministry of Health also thanked the community for its cooperation and

urged everyone to prioritise healthy living, remain vigilant, and promptly report any

suspicious findings.