The family of a grandmother, the late Mrs. Esther Adeola, has appealed to the Ondo State government to investigate the circumstances that led to the death of her mother and four grandchildren following alleged food poisoning.

According to the son of the late 68-year-old grandmother, his mother and the four grandchildren died after drinking liquid pap at Gaga Street, Oke Aro, Akure, Ondo, on Saturday.

It was gathered that the grandmother first gave up the ghost after taking the pap, while the grandchildren died the following day.

While speaking on the incident on Tuesday, Adeola disclosed that the children drank the pap early on Saturday, after which they started vomiting and complaining of stomach aches.

He stressed that all efforts to revive the deceased at the University of Medical Science Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH) in Akure failed for lack of facilities to resuscitate the victims at the hospital.

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Adeola revealed that the deceased children were aged nine, eight, six, and three years.

He said: “After taking the pap, I observed that they started vomiting and complaining of stomach aches, so I rushed them to the general hospital in Akure, UNIMED.

“One of the doctors asked me, ‘How am I sure these children were poisoned?’ He said I should go and give them palm oil to drink.

“I heard him saying, ‘I don’t know what to give them; I don’t know what to do; I’m tired.’ Later, they gave them some drugs, and I believe it was the drugs that killed them.”

Meanwhile, the bereaved father noted that all the deceased have been buried.

While speaking on the allegations, the Commissioner for Health in the state, Dr. Banji Ajaka, denied the allegations that the victims died due to the negligence of the doctors at UNIMEDTH.

Stressing that the doctors and consultants did their best to revive the victims, Ajaka said, “I myself was at the hospital with them; there were four consultants and other doctors trying to save the lives of the children, but unfortunately, they died.

“So it is not true that the hospital lacks the facilities to tackle such a case. It is not the fault of the doctors; it is unfortunate this happened. I pray to God to give the family the fortitude to bear the loss.”

When contacted, the police spokesperson in the state, Funmilayo Odunlami, said the case was not reported officially at the police station, but the men of the command had visited the late deceased’s residence to get an idea of the issues that led to the unfortunate death.

He said, “The matter was not reported at any police station, but our men in B Division have visited the house of the deceased to know what actually happened.”