Twenty-four persons have been confirmed dead after consuming a herbal liquid substance in Araromi Obu and Odigbo town in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State last Saturday, September 5.
A source in the area told Punch that the deceased persons consumed the substance at different locations on Saturday but later became unconscious, leading to their deaths, while some others who also consumed the substance were rushed to the hospital.
The source said eight people died in Araromi Obu, while 16 others lost their lives in Odigbo town, adding that it was yet to be confirmed whether the substance they consumed caused the deaths.
According to the source, some of the victims died in their sleep, while others died after returning home, with many others still receiving treatment in hospitals.
Confirming the incident, the Chairman of Odigbo Local Government, Mr Taiwo Adegoroye, said the deceased consumed the substance before the incident, adding that they were waiting for a medical team to carry out autopsies to determine the actual cause of the deaths.
Adegoroye confirmed that 24 people had died, comprising eight in Araromi Obu and 16 in Odigbo town, while many others remained on admission at various hospitals.
He, however, said the actual cause of the deaths had yet to be established as the local government was waiting for a team from the state Ministry of Health to conduct tests on the deceased.
The chairman also said he had placed a ban on the sale and consumption of locally brewed alcoholic drinks in the area as a precautionary measure.
According to him, a preliminary verbal autopsy conducted by the local government health team indicated a possible link between the reported deaths and consumption of the substances.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Ajaka, also confirmed the incident, saying investigations were underway to establish the actual cause of the deaths.