The death of six persons after taking a cassava meal at Ogaminana community in Adavi local government area of Kogi State is generating some controversy in the state.
Daily Trust reports that six persons, including a mother, three of her children and two other children of the deceased woman’s neighbors had lost their lives after eating a meal made from cassava flour purchased from a local market.
The spokesman of Adavi Local Government, Mr Abdulhamid Salahudeen told newsmen that 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 home.
But the incident assumed an ethnic dimension when a group, Ebira Youth Congress (EYC) in its reaction alleged that some forces were out to attack the people of Ebiraland through food poisoning.
A statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the group, Ismaila Muhammed, said: "We consider this a serious security threat to our land and its people. It is an emergency situation that calls for the utmost concern of all".
But reacting to the development, Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, appealed for calm, saying it would be unfortunate for anybody to bring ethnic coloration to the incident.
A press statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Petra Akinti Onyegbule, said "Governor Bello regrets such reckless conclusions, saying the appropriate authorities are investigating the matter, and that no one should preempt the outcome of the investigations".
"No one knowingly takes poisoned foodstuffs to the open market in a multi-ethnic society, hoping only people from a particular tribe will buy.
"That’s like throwing a stone in a crowded market, and foolishly hoping it will strike your one enemy. It just does not make sense", Bello said.
The statement added that in addition to the ongoing police investigation, health officials are also carrying out their investigations because of the public health angle to the incident, saying nothing would be left to chance.
The governor vowed to come down hard on people with a negative tribal agenda in the state, warning that their activities go against his plans of fostering good communal relations in the state, and making Kogi a home for
all.
