Imo Police Deny Report of 5 Deaths from Food Poisoning, Call for Investigation
The Imo State Police Command has stated that it has not received any official report regarding the tragic deaths of five family members allegedly caused by food poisoning in Umuebi Amazu, Aboh Mbaise local government area.
In response to a report by The Statesman newspaper, which claimed that five family members — a mother and her four children — died after consuming sliced oil bean (ugba), police spokesperson DSP Henry Okoye clarified that no such case has been formally reported to the Aboh Mbaise Police Division.
“The police is yet to receive any report of this incident,” Okoye told LEADERSHIP in a phone interview. “We appeal to the relatives or neighbors of the deceased to report the case to the Aboh Mbaise Police Division so that we can begin an investigation and determine the cause of the deaths.”
Okoye further urged the community to assist in clarifying the circumstances surrounding the incident by formally reporting it to the police.
A village source, who requested anonymity, described the tragic event, stating that the woman and her four children consumed ugba in their Umuebi Amazu village on January 2, 2025. The meal led to severe symptoms of loose stools and dehydration, causing the family members to lose electrolytes and strength.
The source explained that three family members were found dead at the scene, while the other two were rushed to the Federal Teaching Hospital in Owerri, where they later passed away.
Authorities are urging the community to come forward with any information that could help authorities investigate the deaths and determine whether food poisoning or another cause is responsible for the tragedy.
