Four dead, two hospitalized after eating poisonous fish in Taraba

Tragedy struck in the Kashimbila ward of Takum local government council of Taraba State, as four people lost their lives and two others hospitalised after consuming a suspected poisonous fish.

The Chairman of Takum Local Government Council, John Ali, confirmed the incident that occurred on February 22, 2025.

The victims, identified as herders, reportedly found and cooked a toxic fish species abandoned near the Kashimbila Multi-Purpose Dam.

The deceased have been identified as Abdul Juli, Sule Abubakar, Adamu Mato, and Saidu Payo.

Two survivors, Yusuf Musa and Ibrahim Haruna, were said to have been rushed to an undisclosed hospital, where they are currently receiving treatment.

Explaining the circumstances surrounding the incident, the council chairman revealed that the herders mistakenly assumed the toxic fish was an edible species.

“The herders, while grazing their cattle, came across some abandoned fish at the riverbank. Unaware of the danger, they picked and cooked the fish for a meal,” Ali stated.

He further identified the species as a highly poisonous variety known locally as “Frog-Fish,” which he described as dangerous even to other aquatic life.

“This particular species is so toxic that even other fish in the river avoid them. If they come in contact with another fish, that fish rots immediately,” he explained.

The chairman assured that he would visit the affected community to assess the situation firsthand.

Meanwhile, local sources confirmed that the four victims died shortly after consuming the meal, while the two survivors remain under medical care.