No fewer than 24 people have died from suspected food poisoning in three communities in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, with several others hospitalised.
The victims reportedly developed health complications after consuming suspected contaminated food or substances, although the precise source of the poisoning has yet to be established by medical authorities.
The deaths occurred over the weekend in Araromi-Obu, Orita New Town and Odigbo communities, triggering anxiety among residents and prompting the police to investigate the circumstances surrounding the fatalities.
The Ondo State Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Ajaka, confirmed the development, saying the state government had launched an investigation to determine the cause of the deaths.
Ajaka said it was too early to establish the exact cause of the fatalities, adding that medical examinations and laboratory tests would be required to identify the substance responsible.
He said the government was taking the incident seriously and would provide further details once the investigations yielded clearer findings.
The Chairman of Odigbo Local Government Area, Taiwo Adegoroye, also confirmed the deaths but said he could not provide further details until health professionals completed their assessment of the affected residents.
Following the incident, the local government imposed precautionary restrictions on the sale and consumption of sachet herbal preparations and related drinks in the affected communities.