From Bola Ojuola, Akure.
The death toll of victims of purported herbal consumption in Ondo State has increased to 49 while 170 are battling with their lives as a result of the consumption of the deadly herbal drinks .
About 24 residents of two communities in the council area of Araromi Obu and Odigbo town, were confirmed dead after consuming the substance.
According to the Chairman of the Odigbo Local Government , Mr Taiwo Adegoroye , he disclosed that eight lives were earlier lost in Araromi Obu while 16 people died in Odigbo but it was gathered that the death toll has risen to 49 as at Wednesday.
Adegoroye however said the matter had been subsided as a result of the proactiveness of the state and local government medical teams
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Ajaka disclosed that the casualty figure had increased and said the matter had extended to Irele Local Government where eight people were reported to have passed away following the same way .
According to him, Irele (LG) is where we have serious issue now, our people were there and many people have died . About additional eight people have been recorded to have died as at yesterday’s night.
” So all the people that have been affected altogether now is about 170, those that have been admitted and those that have died. ”
Ajaka reiterated that the main cause of the health crisis was the consumption of ethanol by the victims. He however noted that the state government was being proactive about it to prevent further spread to other local governments as the medical and health officers and other stakeholders immediately moved to anywhere they heard the report.
” We are always fast about it wherever and whenever we heard the report of the issue, our teams are already in Irele as I’m talking to you now ”
Meanwhile, the Ondo State Police Command was reported to have arrested a man, Oloruntoba Babatunde, who allegedly produced herbal liquid substance which caused the health crisis in the two local government.
In a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of the state police command, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, the suspect was apprehended while 14 other were arrested for violating the ban order placed on sales herbal products by the local government.
In the statement, the command also said it had commenced investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths, while the bodies of the deceased were undergoing the necessary medical and forensic procedures.
” The Ondo State Police Command has contained the situation arising from reported cases of sudden and unnatural deaths involving youths in Araromi-Obu, Odigbo Local Government Area of the state, following sustained security, medical and investigative interventions.
”The development follows the arrest of one Oloruntoba Babatunde, a.k.a ‘Meko,’ who is suspected to be involved in the production of substances suspected to contain methanol and is currently assisting the police with investigations,” the statement read.
