Tragedy has struck Amufu community in Edumoga, Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State, following the deaths of four siblings who reportedly fell ill after consuming a soft drink allegedly given to them by a relative.
The children, aged 12, seven, five and three, were said to have died last week in circumstances that have sparked concern and prompted calls for an investigation.
The incident was brought to public attention by an Idoma activist, Meddy Olotu, who shared a video of the grieving family on Facebook.
In the video, the children’s father alleged that the siblings became sick two to three days after they shared a bottle of soft drink reportedly given to them by a relative identified as Anthony Adam.
According to the father, he was away from home when Adam allegedly gave the drink to the children.
He said the situation deteriorated rapidly after the children fell ill, forcing him to rush one of them to the hospital while making arrangements to get medical attention for the others.
The grieving father said one of the children died while he was trying to get the remaining siblings to safety, adding that the deaths continued in quick succession.
He recounted that three of the children had died by the following morning, while his eldest son died later that day.
The distraught father also alleged that he was not on speaking terms with Adam before the incident.
However, Adam and his son reportedly denied any knowledge of what might have caused the children’s deaths.
A separate video circulating on social media showed community youths reportedly taking Adam away following the incident.
The circumstances surrounding the deaths remain unclear, as there has been no official confirmation that the soft drink caused the children’s deaths.
Efforts to obtain a reaction from the Benue State Police Command were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
Authorities are expected to investigate the incident and determine the actual cause of the deaths.