Mother gives 18-month old son kerosene to drink as water

The incident which led to the death of the child, occurred at about 10 a.m. last Tuesday, at Iguma Street, off Orewere Street, off Medical Stores Road, Benin.

It was gathered that the victim, Isreal Buhari, who complained to his mother, a kerosene seller, that he was thirsty, was given a liquid stored in a beverage can to drink, unknown to the mother that it was kerosene.

The child, the only male among the four children of his parents, had drank some of the content before his mother realized her error.

Few minutes after drinking the kerosene, the little boy’s eyes turned white as he screamed uncontrollably.

The distraught mother, with the help of neighbors, gave him palm oil to drink before he was rushed to a hospital in the area where he died few hours later.

Mrs. Ata Buhari, a native of Kogi State, while narrating her ordeal, said that one of her children had filled an empty can of beverage with water which they took to the store that fateful morning, unknown to her that a similar beverage can which contained kerosene was also kept in the store.

Father of the child, Mr. Hassan Buhari, a 36-year-old bricklayer, said he was called to the hospital where he met the corpse of his only son.

He appealed to the state government and kindhearted Nigerians to assist his family to enable them improve their living condition.