Grief Grips Ondo Communities as 24 Die After Drinking Herbal Substance

Grief has settled over two communities in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, where families are burying loved ones and keeping vigil at hospital bedsides after a herbal substance left 24 people dead over the weekend.

The Ondo State Government confirmed the deaths on Wednesday, saying the victims were residents of Araromi Obu and Odigbo town who had consumed the substance on Saturday before falling unconscious.

PUNCH Metro gathered that some who also drank it were rushed to hospitals, where families now wait anxiously for news of their recovery.

A source in the area, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described how quickly the tragedy unfolded within households.

"They (the deceased) drank the herbal substance and started dying. Eight people died in Araromi Obu while 16 others lost their lives in Odigbo town, but we have yet to confirm if it was 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."

The Chairman of Odigbo Local Government Area, Mr Taiwo Adegoroye, confirmed the toll in a telephone interview, explaining that families were still awaiting answers on what exactly killed their relatives.

"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. But we have yet to ascertain the cause of the deaths, 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," Adegoroye said.

As a precaution for other families in the area, the chairman said he had banned the sale and consumption of locally brewed alcoholic drinks, after a preliminary verbal autopsy by the local health team pointed to a possible link between the deaths and the substance.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Ajaka, also confirmed the incident, telling reporters that investigations were underway to establish the actual cause of death, though he did not disclose the specific substance suspected.

"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 scale of the loss has left many families demanding answers, with some youths in the town staging a mini protest at the palace of the Odigbo traditional ruler to call for explanations and urgent action to prevent further deaths.

Addressing the youths, the monarch, Oba Rufus Akinrinmade, appealed for calm and assured them that efforts would be made to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the deaths and find a lasting solution to the situation.