RismadarVoice Reporters
September 9, 2026
At least 24 people have died in two communities in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State after reportedly consuming a locally prepared herbal drink.
The deaths, recorded in Araromi Obu and Odigbo town, occurred over the weekend and have thrown the affected communities into mourning.
The Ondo State Government confirmed the deaths on Wednesday but said the exact cause had not been established, pending further medical examinations.
Eight of the reported deaths occurred in Araromi Obu, while 16 were recorded in Odigbo town.
A resident of the area told journalists that several people who consumed the substance later became unconscious, with some reportedly dying at home or while asleep.
“Some of the people died in their sleep while some died when they got home and many are still in the hospital,” the source said.
The Chairman of Odigbo Local Government Area, Taiwo Adegoroye, confirmed the death toll and said several other residents who consumed the substance were receiving treatment in hospitals.
“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,” Adegoroye said.
He, however, cautioned against attributing the deaths conclusively to the herbal drink until medical investigations had been completed.
“We are yet to ascertain the cause of the death 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,” he said.
Adegoroye said the local government had taken precautionary measures by suspending the sale and consumption of locally brewed alcoholic drinks in the affected area.
He added that a preliminary verbal autopsy conducted by the council’s health officials suggested a possible connection between the reported deaths and consumption of the substances.
The state Commissioner for Health, Banji Ajaka, also confirmed the incident and said government officials were investigating the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Ajaka said medical personnel would carry out further assessments in the affected communities to determine what caused the fatalities.
“The government is taking the matter seriously, and we will provide more details after the ongoing investigation has established the circumstances surrounding the incident,” the commissioner said.
Meanwhile, youths in Odigbo reportedly staged a protest and visited the palace of the traditional ruler to demand urgent intervention and measures to prevent additional deaths.
The authorities have yet to publicly identify the specific substance consumed by the victims or establish whether it was contaminated or contained any harmful ingredients.
The state government is expected to release further findings after medical examinations and investigations are concluded.
