At least 24 people have died in two communities in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State after reportedly consuming a suspected herbal concoction, with several others currently receiving treatment in hospitals.
The deaths occurred in Odigbo town and Araromi-Obu, triggering mourning, tension and demands for urgent investigation as authorities work to determine what caused the fatalities.
The incident reportedly occurred on Saturday, but concerns escalated after some of those who consumed the substance allegedly became unconscious before dying at different locations.
According to information from the affected communities, eight people died in Araromi-Obu, while 16 others reportedly died in Odigbo town.
A community source said some victims died while asleep, while others reportedly died after returning to their homes.
Some of the people died in their sleep, while some died when they got home. Many are still in the hospital, the source said, while stressing that investigations were still needed to establish whether the substance consumed was directly responsible for the deaths.
The Chairman of Odigbo Local Government Area, Taiwo Adegoroye, confirmed that 24 people had died in the two communities.
Adegoroye said eight of the victims were from Araromi-Obu, while 16 were from Odigbo town.
He added that several other people remained hospitalised and that authorities had yet to establish the precise cause of the deaths.
“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.
According to him, health officials were expected to conduct further tests on the deceased to determine the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
He explained that the local government could not conclusively attribute the fatalities to the herbal substance until medical investigations had been completed.
As a precautionary measure, the Odigbo Local Government reportedly imposed a temporary ban on the sale and consumption of locally brewed alcoholic drinks in the affected areas.
The restriction is expected to remain in place pending the outcome of investigations into the incident.
Adegoroye also disclosed that a preliminary verbal autopsy conducted by the local government health team suggested a possible connection between the deaths and consumption of the substances.
However, he stressed that additional medical examinations would be required before authorities could establish the actual cause of death.
The Ondo State Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Ajaka, also confirmed the incident.
Ajaka said the state government had commenced investigations into the deaths and deployed relevant health officials to assess the situation in the affected communities.
The commissioner did not identify the particular substance suspected to have been consumed by the victims.
He said further medical assessments would be conducted before the government releases additional details.
The government is taking the matter seriously and we will provide more details after the ongoing investigation has established the circumstances surrounding the incident, Ajaka said.
Authorities are expected to determine whether the suspected herbal concoction contained a toxic substance or whether another factor was responsible for the deaths.
The incident has also generated anger among some youths in Odigbo, who reportedly staged a mini protest and marched to the palace of the traditional ruler.
The protesters were said to have demanded explanations over the deaths and urgent action to prevent additional fatalities.
The traditional ruler, Oba Rufus Akinrinmade, appealed for calm while addressing the youths.
The monarch assured them that efforts were underway to establish what caused the deaths and find a lasting solution to the situation.
The Ondo State Police Command has commenced an investigation into the deaths.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Abayomi Jimoh, said the command was working alongside the state Ministry of Health and health officials from Odigbo Local Government.
According to the police, officers, including personnel from Police Medical Services, have been involved in gathering relevant information and evidence concerning the incident.
Medical and toxicological examinations are also being conducted to determine whether the suspected substance played a role in the deaths.
The authorities are expected to release further findings after the completion of the investigations and laboratory examinations.
For now, residents of Odigbo and Araromi-Obu remain concerned as families mourn the victims and several others continue to receive medical attention.
Authorities have urged residents to remain calm while the investigation continues, stressing that the exact cause of the deaths can only be established through proper medical and toxicological examinations.
