Odigbo deaths: Ondo bans unapproved alcoholic drinks statewide

By Boye Oyeyemi

The Ondo State Government has banned the sale and distribution of unverified alcoholic drinks and other unapproved substances following the deaths of not less than 30 people in the Odigbo Local Government Area of the state.

The government said the directive, which covers products sold in sachets and bottles, was aimed at preventing further deaths and containing any possible spread of the suspected substance linked to the incident.

The Ondo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Idowu Ajanaku, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists.

Ajanaku said the Ministry of Health had commenced investigations into the substance suspected to have caused the deaths, with scientific officers deployed to the affected communities to establish its identity and determine what led to the casualties.

He said the government, under Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, was working to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident and take measures to safeguard residents from further harm.

The commissioner urged residents to avoid consuming alcoholic drinks and other substances whose sources and contents could not be verified, particularly products without approval from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control.

He also warned traders and distributors against stocking or selling unapproved products, stressing that anyone caught violating the directive would face the full weight of the law.

The government, according to Ajanaku, has directed security agencies to clamp down on the sale and distribution of illegal products, while residents were urged to report suspicious substances and activities to the relevant authorities.