A youngster, Bello Phillips whose birthday party was ruined after one of his well-wishers, Master John Oboigbe, suffered severe food poisoning after drinking Fanta Orange, has threatened maker of the product, Nigerian Bottle Company with court action.
Read also: Court orders NAFDAC to compel NBC to put warning signs on Fanta, Sprite bottles
Philips, his nephew, Oboigbe, and a host of their friends and families were going to Alpha Beach in May, 2015, for the birthday party of the former(Philip) when they got stuck in traffic for hours during which Oboigbe drank a bottle of Fanta Orange iced in the cooler which was being taken to the beach.
On the spot, Oboigbe, who was then 15 years old was struck down with symptoms of gastric illness including diarrhoea, sickness, abdominal pains, lethargy, vomiting, stooling and a loss of appetite, which aborted their journey and landed him at General Hospital, Broad Street, Lagos Island, accompanied by others where he spent eleven days after being diagnosed with food poisoning.
It was alleged that the Fanta Orange Oboigbe drank was later found to contain some sediment, two other unopened bottles of the products bottled by NBC and bought by Phillips also contained some sediment-even though they were not expired as a the time, they were already contaminated.
According to Oboigbe’s Medical Report dated 21/ 12/ 15 and signed by Dr. A.D. Anthony, a Senior Medical Officer at the General Hospital; Dr. Anthony said: “He reported to this hospital on the 11th May, 2015, with history and presentation reminiscent of Upper and Lower region of stomach disorder, vomiting, stooling, weakness, dizziness , headache, PAOB, and enteric fever.
“He was medically examined and diagnosed as food poisoning, significant reactive to widal and positive to malaria parasite.
“He was admitted on observation and placed on intravenous fluids injections and drugs prescribed.
“He, however, responded well and discharged on the 21st May, 2015, advice to continue further therapy on outpatient basis.”
Since the incident, the families of Philips and Oboigbe have been threatened to press charges against NBC and had dragged the management of the beverage company giant to State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti.
They have been demanding N40m from the company as compensation for distrupting their party and causing Obiogbe’s sickness.
