Food poisoning: Seven family members die in Zamfara

Seven members of a family on Wednesday, August 11, 2020, died of food poisoning in Auki village, Bungidu Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

The family, which is made-up of two housewives and their five children, died after taking their dinner.

The dinner was made of guinea corn, locally known as "tuwon dawa".

Narrating the incident to The PUNCH, an indigene of the area, Mohammed Mas’ud, said the family developed stomach disorder immediately after eating their dinner, with three of them dying instantly.

Other members of the family were rushed to the hospital, where four also died.

Dr. Gambo Tsafe, the Medical Director in charge of the Bungudu General Hospital, confirmed that their investigations depict that the victims died of food poisoning as a result of consuming contaminated food.

Dr. Tsafe explained that the deceased were vomiting and stooling when they were brought to the hospital and added that all efforts to save their lives proved futile.

The husband, Hassan Lawali, who did not eat the food as he was not in the house as of the time the deadly meal was served, could not speak because he was not in the right frame of mind to do so after losing his family.

Hassan’s father, Malam Lawali Auki, said the family did not report the incident to any authority, as nobody else was responsible for their demise.

He said, “Since they were not killed by anybody, I didn’t consider it necessary to report the case to any authority.

“The food was cooked and eaten by the family members; there was no basis for reporting the case to the police.”