By Ogalla Daniel
The Kogi State House of Assembly, has commended Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, for his swift intervention following a suspected food poisoning incident in Okehi Local Government Area of the state, which claimed the lives of five persons.
The commendation followed a Matter of Urgent Public Importance, presented before the House by the Member representing Okehi Constituency, Hon. Otokiti Zakariya.
According to the lawmaker, the incident occurred after nine persons consumed locally processed cassava flour prepared as uka/amala and soup on the evening of August 19, 2026.
He said some of the affected persons also consumed the leftover meal the following morning, after which they developed symptoms including abdominal pain, vomiting, convulsion and unconsciousness.
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Zakariya explained that two victims reportedly died at home, while three others later died at the Confluence University of Science and Technology Teaching Hospital, Okene, where they were taken for medical attention.
The lawmaker said preliminary investigations by the Kogi State Ministry of Health, indicated that the cassava flour was locally processed by the family and was not purchased from the market.
He added that the family had previously prepared and consumed the same locally processed cassava without any reported incident.
Zakariya noted that health officials observed that those who consumed the meal twice on the evening it was prepared and the following morning developed more severe symptoms and died, while those who ate the food only on the day it was prepared reportedly experienced less severe symptoms and survived.
He said samples of the leftover food and soup had been collected and sent to the National Veterinary Research Institute, Plateau State, for laboratory analysis to establish the actual cause of the incident.
The lawmaker said the state government was awaiting the outcome of the laboratory analysis to guide further public health interventions.
In his submission, the Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Aliyu Umar Yusuf, expressed sympathy with the bereaved families, but said the House should go beyond commending the government and take proactive steps to prevent a recurrence.
