A family of five have died after mistakenly consuming soup prepared with fertilizer, which they believed to be monosodium glutamate seasoning (locally known as Farin Maggi).
The incident occurred in Kaurar Wanke village, Shagari Local Government Area of Sokoto State, on Thursday, with the victims succumbing to the poison by Sunday.
Mrs Hajiya Asabe Balarabe, the State Commissioner for Health, confirmed the unfortunate news on Monday, explaining that the family had prepared a local soup using the fertilizer, mistaking it for the common seasoning powder.
Three of the victims died on Friday, while the remaining two kicked the bucket on Sunday at the Sokoto Specialist Hospital in the presence of the commissioner.
Also, two additional victims who consumed the poisoned soup are currently receiving treatment at the Sokoto Specialist Hospital.
The commissioner, who was away in Abuja on official business when the incident was reported, immediately ordered the relevant health officials to take urgent action in an attempt to save the victims’ lives.
Despite these efforts, the toxic substance had already caused irreversible damage to their organs, leading to the fatalities.
However, the Commissioner urged the general public to take extreme caution when storing poisonous and chemical substances, advising that they should be kept far away from kitchens and separate from food items to prevent similar tragedies.
A relative of the victims, Muhammad Abdullahi, expressed his gratitude for the swift response from the commissioner and her team, acknowledging their dedication from the time of the incident in the village through to the hospital.
He also praised their continuous support during the family’s time of need.
Meanwhile, Dr. Attahiru Sokoto, the Chief Medical Director of Sokoto Specialist Hospital, described the incident as a deeply unfortunate tragedy, underscoring the need for increased awareness and preventive measures to avoid such occurrences in the future.
