Five members of a family, including an elderly woman and her four grandchildren, have been reported dead in the Gaga community of Akure. Their deaths occurred mysteriously just days after consuming pap.
According to Ondo State’s Hope Newspaper, the incident took place a few days ago on Atayese Street in the Gaga area of Oke Aro, with details emerging on Thursday, October 3, 2024.
A family member, Bola, shared that the elderly woman, their paternal grandmother, died suddenly, prompting the family to take her to the mortuary. Bola noted that there were no initial suspicions about the cause of her death, as her age suggested it could be natural.
“After her death, my sister and her husband had gone along with their children to the deceased’s house in order to tidy up her belongings, and they saw some processed dried pap in the kitchen which the younger ones craved to have while their parents declined,” she said. “Their mother, who is my sister, made the pap and gave it to her children and their cousin who came along with them. My nephews and niece were ages seven, five, and three, while their cousin was 10.”
Bola explained that shortly after consuming the pap, the children began to writhe in pain. Alarmed by the sudden onset of distress, their parents rushed them to the State Specialist Hospital, now known as UNIMED Teaching Hospital.
“It was at this juncture that we began to suspect that probably the pap must have been poisoned or contaminated and could be the cause of their grandmother’s death,” she added....Read Full Article [Click Here>]
The family expressed frustration with the medical staff on duty, stating that the children were still alive but in pain when they first arrived. “The doctors on duty were Corps Members. I heard one of them making calls and asking the person on the other end how many milligrams he should administer to the patient. Right before us, one of the doctors was panicking that he did not know what to administer to one of the children assigned to him. The four children spent three days in the hospital before they died. They would have made it if they were promptly attended to.”
When reached by phone, the head of the family, Mr. A. Egunjobi, confirmed the tragic event and mentioned that there were also concerns about fish from a pond at the grandmother’s house, which might have been contaminated.
The mysterious deaths have not been reported to the police, and the victims were buried without an investigation or autopsy. Mrs. Bukola Adeola, the mother of the deceased children, was too grief-stricken to comment when contacted at their residence in Afunbiowo Estate, though a source confirmed that the children had been buried.
She indicated that the family did not report the case to authorities, stating they did not suspect anyone due to the secluded nature of the grandmother’s home. When asked if they planned to investigate the circumstances surrounding the children’s deaths, she responded, “What is there to unravel again? The unfortunate incident has happened, and there is no need keeping little children in the mortuary. So they have since been laid to rest.” However, she noted that the grandmother’s body remains in the mortuary.
Mrs. Funmi Odunlami, spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, confirmed that the incident has not been reported at any police station.
