Ondo police arrest suspected producer of killer herbal drink
The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a man, Oloruntoba Babatunde, over the alleged production of a herbal liquid suspected to have caused the deaths of residents in Araromi-Obu and Odigbo communities in Odigbo Local Government Area of the state.
The development follows the reported deaths of at least 29 residents of the two communities, while about 60 others were hospitalised after consuming the herbal drinks.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday, saying the suspect was arrested alongside 14 others for violating the ban imposed by the local government on the sale and consumption of herbal products.
According to the police spokesman, the command had contained the situation involving reported cases of sudden and unnatural deaths among youths in Araromi-Obu through sustained security, medical and investigative interventions.
Jimoh said Babatunde, also known as “Meko,” was suspected of being involved in the production of substances believed to contain methanol and was assisting the police with their investigation.
He said substances suspected to be methanol had also been recovered and subjected to further investigation and forensic examination to establish their exact composition and determine whether they were linked to the reported deaths.
“The command has commenced investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths, while the bodies of the deceased are undergoing the necessary medical and forensic procedures,” the statement said.
The police spokesman added that the outcome of the ongoing post-mortem examinations was expected to provide further medical evidence on the actual causes of the deaths.
He further disclosed that health officials had intensified medical intervention, with a significant number of youths from the affected communities taken to the Odigbo Local Government medical facility for medical assessment, testing and treatment.
Meanwhile, the 14 other suspects were arrested for allegedly selling and consuming herbal drinks at different locations in violation of the subsisting order banning the sale and consumption of the products.
The suspects were identified as Ayemobola Abayomi, Ebeyilo Oyekan, Fadeyi Folake, Febisola Solomon, Olamojiba Akinyosoye, Julius Ogeichi, Seyifunmi Aduke, Adesanmi Toyin, Oluwoye Amaka, Adeyayi Ojo, Adebayo Olaniyi, Raphael Emeka, Adenuga Oluwaseun and Adediwura Godwin.
Jimoh said the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Akure for discreet and comprehensive investigation.
He added that a team of detectives visited Araromi-Obu on September 12, 2026, to advance the investigation and gather further evidence.
