By joshua IHIMA GRIEF: “I LOST MY CHILDREN, MY DOG, AND EVEN MY NEIGHBOR”
By Shaibu Omeiza Jude
IHIMA, Okehi LGA, Kogi State
A Homestead Turned Morgue
It began as an ordinary evening in Ihima, Okehi Local Government Area. By the next morning, a peaceful home had been turned into a scene of unimaginable tragedy.
On Tuesday, August 19, 2026, Mrs. Nana Jimoh prepared amala from locally processed cassava flour for her household. The meal was shared with her husband, children, and a neighbor. As is common in many homes, the leftovers were stored, warmed, and served again the next morning.
Hours after the second serving, horror struck. The children began suffering severe abdominal pains, vomiting, and convulsions. By the weekend, five people were dead: four children aged between 4 and 12, and one adult. Four other family members remain hospitalized. In a heartbreaking twist, the family dog, which had eaten food scraps, also died.
The Kogi State Government has since ordered a full-scale public health investigation. Forensic food samples have been sent to specialized laboratories for analysis.
“I Was Caring For One Child, Then Mine Started Convulsing” Aunt Recounts Horror
An aunt to the children narrated the harrowing events to this reporter.
“I was at my house when she came running to me that her sister’s child was convulsing. While she was trying to help that child, her own child also started convulsing.”
“We rushed two of them to the hospital. One was referred because her condition was critical.”
The deaths occurred in painful succession.
“When we got back home from the hospital, the first child died. The second child was later referred out of state and also died. Another child was brought in while the second was still on admission, and she also died.”
On whether the children had been sick before the meal, she was clear:
“No. They were all playing together the previous day.”
The Cook Speaks: “I Ate The Food Too”
At the center of the tragedy is Mrs. Nana Jimoh, who cooked the meal and lost her children. Speaking through tears, she said she followed her normal cooking process and suspects no foul play.
“That day I didn’t leave my food outside. I can’t say who would do this to me. I prepared the food and we all ate it — me, my children, my husband, and our neighbor.”
She confirmed the leftovers were warmed the next day.
“We warmed it the following morning and served it to my husband, my children, my neighbor, and even my dog. That same day, I lost my children, my dog, and even the neighbor.”
Jimoh herself collapsed shortly after getting to the hospital.
“When I got to the hospital, I had stomach pains. I was given injections and later detoxified from the poison.”
Government Response: Focus on Food Poisoning and Contamination
The Kogi State Government acknowledged the incident on Saturday, August 22.
The Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Femi Fanwo, said Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo had directed the Commissioner for Health to investigate immediately, with focus on possible food poisoning or contamination.
“The Chief Servant is deeply concerned by this tragic incident and has directed a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths. Samples and available evidence are to be examined according to established public health procedures.”
Dr. Austin Ojotole, Kogi State Epidemiologist, confirmed that medical teams are already on ground. Okehi LGA Chairman, Hon. Amoka “Odu”, also pledged support. Food and soup remnants have been sent to the National Veterinary Research Institute in Vom, Plateau State, for toxicology tests.
Medical Outlook & Prevention
Health experts say the symptoms, sudden convulsions, severe vomiting, and rapid death after cassava consumption, point to either acute cyanide poisoning from improperly processed cassava, or bacterial toxins like Staphylococcus aureus or Bacillus cereus from poorly stored leftovers.
Officials are urging residents to:
1. Soak and ferment cassava thoroughly
2. Avoid chemical additives
3. Cover all cooked food properly
4. Seek immediate medical care for vomiting, stomach pain, or convulsions
For Mrs. Nana Jimoh and the people of Ihima, the wait for laboratory results continues and with it, the hope of answers to a tragedy that turned dinner into mourning.