- They reportedly started retching up with the widow and three of the children becoming unconscious after taking the meal
Six persons have been hospitalised having a pap meal at Egba in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State.
The victims are a widow, Amina Isah, and her children and grandchildren numbering six.
The children are identified as Benjamin, Piko, Esther, Hassan Emmanuel and one other.
They reportedly started retching up with the widow and three of the children becoming unconscious after taking the meal, prompting locals to rush them to the hospital.
A local, who identified himself as Adaji, confirmed the incident to newsmen, saying they were rushed to a private clinic in the area.
Speaking to newsmen, the doctor who doubles as proprietor of the clinic, known as ‘Dr Gana Clinic’, Dr Oyaje Sule aka Dr Gana, confirmed the seven patients in his clinic.
According to him, three of the patients including the widow were brought in unconscious, adding that the family were reported to have used the remnants of guinea corn already mixed with chemical for planting to make a pap.
Sule said, “It is true they brought a woman who I have known in the community, alongside her children and grandchildren numbering seven to my clinic this morning.
“The woman is a widow with her three children and three grandchildren, their ages range from three to 30 years aside from their grandmother who is elderly.
“As of the time they were brought, the woman and two others were unconscious but thank God they have been revived.
“What I was told is that the family had mixed chemicals with guinea corn they were to plant. After planting the guinea corn, the remaining was brought home and they washed it and went and ground it to make pap.
“It was after they took the pap this morning that they started vomiting and some of them were unconscious before they were rushed to my clinic