At least 24 people have died in two communities in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State after reportedly consuming an herbal liquid substance, triggering investigations by health authorities and the police.
The deaths were recorded in Odigbo town and Araromi-Obu on Saturday, September 5, with several other residents who consumed the substance reportedly receiving treatment in various hospitals.
Chairman of Odigbo Local Government Area, Taiwo Adegoroye, confirmed the deaths, saying eight people died in Araromi-Obu while 16 others died in Odigbo town.
He, however, stressed that the exact cause of the deaths had not been established, pending medical examinations and laboratory tests.
“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,” Adegoroye said.
“But we are yet to ascertain the cause of the death, and we are still waiting for the team from the state Ministry of Health to carry out the test on the deceased. That is why we can’t specifically say the real cause.”
According to the council chairman, some of the victims allegedly became unconscious before dying at different locations.
He said a preliminary verbal autopsy suggested a possible connection between the deaths and consumption of the substances, but emphasised that further medical investigations were necessary to establish the cause conclusively.
As a precautionary measure, the local government has banned the sale and consumption of locally brewed alcoholic drinks in the affected communities pending the outcome of investigations.
The state Commissioner for Health, Banji Ajaka, also confirmed the incident, saying the state government had commenced investigations to determine what led to the deaths. He did not, however, identify the specific substance suspected to be involved.
The Ondo State Police Command has equally launched a comprehensive investigation into the incident, describing the deaths as suspected cases of possible poisoning.
Police spokesperson, Abayomi Jimoh, said officers, including personnel from the Police Medical Services, were working with officials of the state Ministry of Health and health authorities in Odigbo to gather evidence and establish what happened.
The police cautioned residents against spreading unverified information or attributing the deaths to any particular substance while laboratory analyses and investigations are still ongoing.
“At this stage, the Command wishes to caution members of the public against spreading unverified information or attributing the deaths to any particular substance, as the investigation and laboratory analyses are still ongoing,” Jimoh said.
He added that the actual number of casualties and precise cause of the deaths would be determined by the ongoing investigation.
The police urged residents of the affected communities to remain calm and cooperate with investigators by providing relevant information.
Residents were also advised to avoid consuming unregulated or suspicious alcoholic and herbal preparations until the authorities conclude their investigation.
Authorities are expected to release further details once medical examinations and laboratory analyses are completed.
