ONDO POISONING: RESIDENTS WARNED AGAINST SACHET HERBAL DRINKS AS 24 DIE
What could have caused the sudden deaths of 24 people in parts of Ondo State has left residents anxious, with authorities urging people to stay away from suspicious sachet herbal preparations while investigations continue.
At least 24 people have reportedly died in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State following a suspected poisoning incident, while several others are receiving treatment in hospitals.
The deaths reportedly occurred over the weekend in affected communities, triggering panic and prompting local authorities to take precautionary measures as health officials investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Reports linking the deaths to sachet herbal concoctions have circulated in the communities, but the exact substance or cause of the deaths has not been established.
The Ondo State Commissioner for Health, Banji Ajaka, confirmed the incident and said government health officials were working to determine what caused the deaths.
Ajaka, however, declined to identify any substance as responsible for the deaths, stressing that further medical assessments were needed before a definite conclusion could be reached.
He said the state government was taking the development seriously and would provide further information as the investigation progresses.
The Chairman of Odigbo Local Government Area, Taiwo Adegoroye, also confirmed the incident but said he could not provide additional details until medical experts had visited the affected communities and conducted a professional assessment.
Amid growing concern, the local government has reportedly moved to restrict the consumption and sale of sachet herbal concoctions and similar drinks being hawked in the affected areas.
Residents have also been urged to exercise caution and avoid consuming suspicious herbal preparations or unverified sachet products until authorities determine what caused the deaths.
The warning is particularly significant in communities where locally prepared herbal mixtures are commonly sold and consumed without formal verification of their contents.
Authorities have not said that all sachet herbal products are poisonous, and there is currently no confirmed identification of a particular product or substance responsible for the reported deaths.
Health officials are expected to continue medical assessments in the affected communities as they work to establish whether the deaths were connected and, if so, what caused them.
Until the investigation is concluded, residents have been advised not to rely on rumours or unverified claims about the suspected poison.
The state government is expected to issue further updates as medical and public health officials establish the facts surrounding the incident.
For now, the reported death toll of 24 remains part of the ongoing investigation, while several other residents are said to be receiving medical care.
