At least 24 persons have reportedly died while several others were hospitalised following suspected food poisoning in Araromi Obu and Odigbo communities in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State.
According to reports, the incident, which occurred last weekend, has sparked concern and protests among residents, with youths taking to the streets to demand urgent action from the authorities.
Eight deaths were reportedly recorded in Araromi Obu, while 16 others were reported in Odigbo town.
The deaths are suspected to be linked to the consumption of locally brewed alcoholic and herbal drinks, although authorities have yet to establish the exact cause.
Some of the victims were said to have died at home, while others reportedly died in their sleep.
Following the incident, youths from the affected communities marched to the palace of the traditional ruler of Araromi Obu, Oba Rufus Akinrinmade, demanding an investigation and measures to prevent further deaths.
Addressing the protesters, the monarch appealed for calm and assured the residents that efforts would be made to establish what caused the deaths and find a lasting solution.
The Permanent Secretary, Ondo State Ministry of Health, Dr Ayodele Adiji, said preliminary findings indicated a possible connection between the deaths and the consumption of locally brewed alcoholic beverages.
He specifically mentioned locally produced drinks as well as herbal and ethanol-based preparations.
However, Adiji stressed that laboratory analysis of samples collected from the affected communities was still ongoing to determine whether the suspected drinks were responsible for the deaths.
As a precautionary measure, the Chairman of Odigbo Local Government, Hon Taiwo Adegoroye, imposed a one-month ban on the sale and consumption of locally brewed herbal drinks in the area.
Adegoroye said preliminary verbal autopsy conducted by the council’s health team also suggested a possible link between the deaths and the substances consumed.
He warned that anyone caught selling or distributing the banned drinks during the restriction period would be arrested and prosecuted.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Ajaka, also confirmed that investigations were ongoing to determine the actual cause of the deaths.
Ajaka said the state government was taking the incident seriously and would provide further information after completing its assessment of the affected communities.
The police also joined the investigation.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Jimoh Abayomi, said the command, in collaboration with the state government and relevant health authorities, had commenced a comprehensive investigation into the incident.
According to him, police personnel, including officers from Police Medical Services, were working with officials of the Ministry of Health and the Odigbo Local Government health authorities to collect relevant information and evidence.
He added that medical and toxicological examinations were being conducted to determine whether any particular substance was responsible for the reported fatalities.
The police spokesman cautioned residents against spreading unverified information or prematurely blaming any particular substance for the deaths, stressing that investigations and laboratory analyses were still ongoing.
He said the actual number of casualties and the precise cause of the deaths would be established through the ongoing investigation.
Abayomi urged residents of the affected communities to remain calm and cooperate with investigators by providing information that could assist the probe.
He also advised the public to avoid consuming unregulated or suspicious alcoholic and herbal preparations pending the outcome of the investigation.
The police assured residents that the command would continue to work with the Ondo State Government and relevant agencies to unravel the circumstances surrounding the deaths and take appropriate action against anyone found culpable.
