The Ondo State Government has confirmed the deaths of 24 residents of Odigbo Local Government Area following the consumption of a suspected herbal liquid substance.
The victims, comprising eight residents of Araromi Obu and 16 from Odigbo town, reportedly consumed the substance at different locations on Saturday before some of them became unconscious and later died.
The incident has thrown the two affected communities into mourning, with several other residents who reportedly consumed the substance currently receiving treatment in hospitals.
A source in the area said some of the victims died in their sleep or after returning home, although the exact cause of the deaths had yet to be established.
“Eight people died in Araromi Obu while 16 others lost their lives in Odigbo town, but we have yet to confirm if it was what they drank that killed them. But we are sure that the people died after drinking the herbal drinks,” the source said.
Confirming the deaths, the Chairman of Odigbo Local Government Area, Taiwo Adegoroye, said the affected residents had consumed the substance before the incident.
He, however, stressed that the actual cause of death would only be determined after medical investigations and an autopsy.
“We can confirm the death of 24 people, eight in Araromi Obu and 16 in Odigbo town, and many are still on admission at hospitals. But we have yet to ascertain the cause of the deaths,” Adegoroye said.
He added that the local government was awaiting a medical team from the Ondo State Ministry of Health to conduct tests on the deceased.
According to the chairman, a preliminary verbal autopsy carried out by the local government health team suggested a possible link between the deaths and consumption of the substances.
As a precautionary measure, Adegoroye said the local government had banned the sale and consumption of locally brewed alcoholic drinks in the area.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Ajaka, also confirmed the incident and said investigations were ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Ajaka did not identify the specific substance suspected to have caused the deaths, but said health officials would conduct further assessments in the affected communities.
“The government is taking the matter seriously, and we will provide more details after the ongoing investigation has established the circumstances surrounding the incident,” he said.
Meanwhile, some youths in Odigbo staged a mini protest at the palace of the town’s traditional ruler, demanding explanations and urgent intervention to prevent further deaths.
Addressing the protesters, the monarch, Oba Rufus Akinrinmade, appealed for calm and assured them that efforts would be made to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths and find a lasting solution to the situation.
Authorities are expected to release further details after the ongoing medical investigations and tests determine the actual cause of the deaths.
