Two middle-aged men tragically lost their lives, while another individual was hospitalized after consuming a local herbal concoction at an event during a traditional festival in Ipe-Akoko in Akoko South East Local Government Area of Ondo state.
The two deceased who include, Alex Ojulewa and Samuel Alonge, were said to have arrived in the community from Abuja, to celebrate the age-grade traditional festival known as ‘Ibogbe’, where they consumed the concoctions.
It was gathered that an indigene of the agrarian community, Johnson Adu, who prepared the herbal concoctions and drank with his friends, is said to be in coma battling to survive.
An eyewitness explained that the trio drank the herbal concoctions and shortly after drinking it, things went wrong as they started vomiting and were rushed to the hospital.
He, however, said despite all efforts to save the lives of the deceased by rushing them to the hospital but their condition worsened, and died before they were attended to at the hospital.
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He said, “Alex and Samuel came home to participate in the festival. As usual, while they were celebrating the festival, they decided to drink an herbal concoction.
“It was after they drank it that they started feeling uneasy. Before we could realise what was happening, they began to vomit and later became unconscious.
“They were quickly rushed to the hospital in the community, but they died before they got to the hospital.”
Confirming the development, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Funmilayo Odunlami, said the two deceased died after consuming the concoctions.
Odunlami, however, stated that an investigation had begun, saying the police from the command will investigate the cause of their death.
She said: “A chief came and reported at Isua police station that someone prepared a native concoction (Agbo), which he drank with two others, and thereafter the trio started vomiting.
“While on their way to the hospital, the duo of Ojulewa Alex and Alonge Samuel gave up the ghost while Adu Johnson was in a coma receiving medical treatment. The investigation is ongoing.”
