Five persons, including a woman and her four grandchildren, have died in Akure, Ondo state capital, after eating poisonous pap and fish.

The incident, which occurred at Gaga Street, Oke Aro, Akure, left the family in mourning after Mrs. Esther Adeola and her four grandchildren died between Saturday and Sunday.

Reports indicate that Mrs. Adeola was the first to pass away shortly after consuming the pap, while the grandchildren, aged nine, eight, six, and three, succumbed the following day after battling severe vomiting and stomach pain.

A neighbour to the deceased, simply identified as Isaac, said two kids who also shared in the meal are still receiving treatment in hospital.

“We were told that they took poisoned pap, but later, we also heard that they ate from fishes in a pond in the compound which was said to have been contaminated,” Isaac said.

Egunjobi, the head of the family, also confirmed the incident, adding that the victims might have eaten fish from a contaminated pool.

Also, one Ademola Adeola narrating the ordeal on Tuesday, recounted how his children fell ill immediately after consuming the pap on Saturday morning, leading him to rush them to the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH) in Akure, but his efforts to save them were unsuccessful.

“They started vomiting and complaining of stomach pain after taking the pap. I rushed them to the General Hospital at UNIMED. One of the doctors asked me how I was sure it was food poisoning and suggested I give them palm oil to drink,” he recounted.

Adeola expressed frustration, alleging that the hospital lacked the necessary facilities to resuscitate the victims.

He also criticised the doctors’ response, claiming they were unsure of the appropriate treatment.

“I heard one of the doctors say, ‘I don’t know what to give them, I don’t know what to do, I’m tired.’ They later administered some drugs, which I believe were responsible for their deaths,” he lamented.

All five victims have since been buried, leaving the family in grief.

Reacting to the allegations, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Banji Ajaka, denied any negligence on the part of the hospital, stating that the medical team, including four consultants, did everything possible to save the children’s lives.

“I was personally at the hospital with them. There were four consultants and other doctors working tirelessly to save the children, but unfortunately, they didn’t make it. It’s untrue that the hospital lacked the necessary facilities to handle such cases,” Ajaka explained.

Meanwhile, the Ondo State Police Command confirmed that although the incident wasn’t formally reported, officers from the B Division have visited the family’s residence to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

The command’s spokesperson, Mrs. Funmilayo Odunlami, stated, “The matter was not reported at any police station, but our men have visited the house of the deceased to understand what happened.”