At least 24 people have died while several others have been hospitalised following suspected poisoning linked to herbal drinks in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State.
24 Deaths Recorded in Two Communities
The deaths were recorded in Araromi Obu and Odigbo town, with eight fatalities reported in Araromi Obu and 16 in Odigbo.
Some residents reportedly became unconscious after consuming the substances, while others died at home or in their sleep. Several others were taken to hospitals for treatment.
However, authorities have cautioned against prematurely linking the deaths to a particular substance as investigations and laboratory tests are still ongoing.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ondo State Ministry of Health, Dr Ayodele Adiji, said preliminary findings suggested a possible connection with locally brewed alcoholic and herbal drinks.
The Odigbo Local Government subsequently imposed a one-month ban on the sale and consumption of locally brewed herbal drinks as a precaution.
Police spokesperson DSP Jimoh Abayomi said investigations were ongoing to determine the actual cause of the deaths.
He cautioned “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.”
