ONDO State Government and the state Police Command have launched investigations into the deaths of residents in parts of Odigbo Local Government Area amid reports that some residents died after consuming locally produced alcoholic drinks and herbal concoctions.
The deaths were first reported in Odigbo town, Newtown, Orita and Araromi-Obu communities on Saturday, September 5.
The state government had confirmed 24 deaths from the two communities, eight in Araromi-Obu and 16 in Odigbo town, but recent media reports say the death toll have risen to 30.
The ICIR contacted the command’s spokesperson, Abayomi Jimoh, on Thursday night, September 10, to establish the exact number of people confirmed dead in the incident. He said the police were still compiling and verifying casualty figures from the affected communities and hospitals.
A statement by Jimoh on Wednesday had said that the police personnel, including officers from Police Medical Services, were assisting the Ministry of Health and Odigbo Local Government health authorities in collecting information and evidence.
The police said the actual number of casualties and precise cause of death would be established through the ongoing probe.
“Medical and toxicological examinations are being conducted to ascertain the substance, if any, responsible for the fatalities,” the statement said.
The police also said the cause of deaths had not been established, warning residents against attributing the fatalities to any particular substance while medical and toxicological examinations are ongoing.
The state Commissioner for Health, Banji Ajaka, said preliminary investigations had ruled out viral and bacterial infections, but noted that the government had yet to establish what caused the deaths.
Ajaka disclosed this after visiting health facilities in Araromi-Obu, where he said some reports indicated that victims might have consumed alcohol mixed with an unidentified substance or concoction before becoming ill.
He said samples of the suspected substance had been collected for laboratory analysis, while blood and urine samples were being obtained from patients.
Government warns against uncertified substances
Following the incident, the Ondo State Government warned residents against consuming unapproved substances, herbal drinks, concoctions and other products not certified as safe for human consumption.
The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Idowu Ajanaku, said the government was investigating the incident to establish the actual cause of the deaths.
He urged residents to obtain medicines and other consumable products only from authorised and regulated outlets and to seek professional medical advice rather than rely on unverified remedies.
The government also warned producers, sellers and distributors of uncertified substances to stop the practice, saying the production, sale and distribution of unapproved substances could attract sanctions under the law.
It further urged residents to report suspicious activities involving the production or distribution of dangerous or unapproved substances to the relevant authorities.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M