As the state government and police begin probe into the tragic death of 24 people in parts of Odigbo local government area of Ondo State, some residents have narrated how the victims met their untimely death.
The residents and public officials, who spoke on the incident yesterday, linked it to the consumption of suspected herbal concoctions and locally brewed alcoholic drinks.
The deaths were reported in Odigbo town, Araromi-Obu and Orita New Town, all in the Odigbo council, with several other suspected victims said to be receiving treatment in hospitals.
A resident in one of the affected communities told LEADERSHIP that the incident began after a woman who regularly sold liquor and herbal preparations brought a concoction to a popular spot known as “Abe Igi” in the community.
The source said, “A liquor trader brought and sold a herbal concoction to some of the residents in the town, who bought and drank the substance.
“Some hours later, some of them became unconscious and later died, while some were rushed to the hospital and are currently hospitalised,” the source who does not want his name in print, said.
He explained that the woman regularly sold the concoction at “Abe Igi”, adding that she disappeared from the community after the incident.
“She is a regular seller there. After the incident, we couldn’t find the woman again. Some people are saying she fled for fear of being arrested,” the source said.
The allegation could not be independently verified as of the time of filing this report, while the woman has not been publicly identified by the authorities as being responsible for the deaths.
Also confirming the incident, the permanent secretary, Ondo State Ministry of Health, Dr Ayodele Adiji, said preliminary findings suggested a possible link between the deaths and the consumption of locally brewed alcoholic beverages.
He specifically mentioned a locally produced drink popularly known as “Monkey Tail,” as well as other locally prepared herbal and ethanol-based drinks.
Adeji, however, stressed that laboratory analysis of samples collected by the medical team was still ongoing, adding that further investigations would be required to establish whether there was any direct connection between the consumption of the locally brewed drinks and the reported deaths.
The development prompted the chairman of Odigbo council, Hon. Taiwo Adegoroye, to impose a one-month ban on the sale and consumption of locally brewed alcoholic drinks in the area as a precautionary measure.
Adegoroye said the decision was taken to protect the residents while investigations into the deaths continued.
According to him, “We have imposed a one-month ban on the sale and consumption of locally brewed alcoholic drinks in the area as a precautionary measure.”
The chairman said a preliminary investigation conducted by the local government health team indicated a possible link between the reported deaths and consumption of the substances.
He said, “A preliminary investigation conducted by the local government health team indicated a possible link between the reported deaths and the consumption of the substances.”
Adegoroye, however, stressed that the preliminary finding did not amount to a final determination of the cause of the deaths, noting that toxicological investigations were still ongoing.
“Further toxicological investigations are ongoing to establish the exact causes of the deaths,” he stressed.
The development was also confirmed by the Ondo State Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Ajaka, who said the state government had commenced investigations to determine the actual cause of the deaths.
