A man named Oloruntoba Babatunde has been detained by the Ondo State Police Command on suspicion of creating a herbal liquid that killed numerous persons in the Odigbo and Araromi-Obu communities in the state's Odigbo Local Government Area.

It was previously stated that after consuming the lethal herbal drinks, at least 29 members of the two communities were killed and over 60 others were admitted to the hospital.

According to a statement released on Monday by DSP Abayomi Jimoh, the state police command's public relations officer, the suspect was arrested together with 14 others for breaking the local government's ban on the sale of herbal goods.

The command added that although the deceased's remains underwent the required forensic and medical processes, it has started an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

The statement read, “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.

“Substances suspected to be methanol were also recovered and have been subjected to further investigation and necessary forensic examination to establish their exact composition and determine any possible link 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 results of the continuing post-mortem investigations "are expected to provide further medical evidence regarding the actual causes of the deaths," according to the PPRO.

Source