Four members of a family have tragically died in the university community of Nsukka, Enugu State, after consuming a meal of beans on Sunday night.
The identities of the deceased are still unknown, but THE WHISTLER has learned that the incident occurred in Umueze village, Nsukka. According to an eyewitness, “They died in their sleep. Five people ate the same bean meal last night. One of them survived but was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. All of them, I was told, are adults.”
In response to the incident, a local resident expressed fears about eating beans. “I don’t know the safety of beans in our market. Two days ago, one Helen along Enugu Road in Nsukka almost died after eating beans. It might be due to bad preservatives used in storing them.”
Dr. Emma Eze, a biochemist, advised consumers to parboil beans before eating. He warned, “Some careless business people store grains with harmful substances not safe for human consumption. We have been warning about this for a long time, but many ignored the advice.”
Dr. Eze called on government agencies like health ministries and NAFDAC to take immediate action. “This is where we expect agencies to step up, prevent such incidents, and even arrest the perpetrators. Most grains sold in local markets come from outside, so stricter inspections are necessary.”
