Many customers were feared to have died Saturday after an eatery operator in Ogoja, Cross River State, allegedly put poison in the food he sold them. The eatery operator, it was leant, last night, confessed to the crime.

The suspect, Paul Armon, who has been arrested by the police, was said to be undergoing interrogation.

Dr. Patrick Ubi, Medical Superintendent, General Hospital, Ogoja, where the victims were rushed to, said they ate from the same source, adding that it was regular for them to do so everyday between 9am and 10 am.

“After two to three hours, those who ate the food started complaining of abdominal pain; some were vomiting while others were foaming in the mouth,” Ubi said.

The suspect, identified as Paul Amon and said to be a food vendor, is believed to have intentionally poisoned the food as a way of getting back at people in the community.

Another report however has it that only a couple had been confirmed dead in the incident while 41 other victims have been discharged from the hospital, with others still receiving treatment at the General Hospital in Ogoja.

In an earlier remark, the Cross River State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Inyang Asibong, described the incident as a disaster.

Dr. Asibong said the symptoms displayed by the victims include vomiting, foaming in the mouth, body weakness and spitting of blood.

“My Ministry is on top of the situation to find out the root cause of this occurrence and has dispatched a team made up of epidemiologists, doctors, community health workers and other related health staff to the affected communities.

“The team of experts are to ascertain the real situation on ground and offer immediate medical assistance to all those affected,” she said.

•Based on reports by Vanguard and Channels.

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