Twenty-four people have died in Ondo State after drinking a suspected herbal liquid, a public health emergency that has forced the local government to ban the sale of locally brewed alcohol in the affected communities. The deaths occurred across two communities in the Odigbo Local Government Area: eight people died in Araromi Obu and 16 in Odigbo town, according to the council chairman, Taiwo Adegoroye.
The victims consumed the substance on Saturday at different locations. Many of them lost consciousness shortly after drinking it. Some died before reaching medical help; others passed away in their sleep after returning home. Several people who also drank the substance are receiving treatment at different hospitals.
A community source described the shock that has gripped residents. "They (the deceased) drank the herbal substance and started dying, eight people died in Araromi Obu while 16 lost their lives in Odigbo town but we are yet to confirm if it is what they drank that killed them but we are sure that the people died after drinking the herbal drinks," the source said. "Some of the people died in their sleep while some died when they got home and many are still in the hospital as I am talking to you."
Adegoroye confirmed the death toll but said authorities cannot officially conclude what caused the deaths until medical experts complete their investigations. Health officials from the Ondo State Ministry of Health are expected to carry out autopsies and laboratory tests to determine the exact cause of death. "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."
As a precaution, Adegoroye announced an immediate ban on the sale and consumption of locally brewed alcoholic drinks within the affected communities. A preliminary verbal autopsy carried out by the local government health team pointed to a possible connection between the deaths and the substances consumed, although the investigation is ongoing.
Ondo State Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Ajaka, confirmed the incident and said the government is treating the matter as a public health emergency. Health officials will continue their assessment in the affected communities before releasing the outcome of the investigation. "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.
The incident sparked anger among some youths in Odigbo. A group staged a peaceful protest and marched to the palace of the traditional ruler to demand urgent action and better protection for residents. The monarch of Odigbo, Oba Rufus Akinrinmade, responded by appealing for calm. He assured the community that efforts were underway to uncover what happened and prevent another tragedy.
Cases of suspected poisoning linked to herbal mixtures or locally produced alcoholic drinks have occasionally been reported in parts of Nigeria. Health experts have repeatedly warned Nigerians to be cautious about consuming unregulated herbal products, as some may contain harmful chemicals or toxic levels of alcohol. Authorities are expected to release the results of laboratory investigations in the coming days.
According to Pulse.ng.
