A 62-year-old man, popularly called Okiribo, and one other have died in Isanlu, Kogi State, after drinking lethal herbal concoction made of Gegemu roots, other items.
Two other persons were lucky for not being struck dead but they are currently in the hospital battling to survive drinking the self-made local brew from herbs.
The victims were said to have drank the herbal concoction, a combination of Gegemu and other roots to get high and full of energy but only landed themselves in trouble.
The concoction is said to be fed to rams being used for ‘fight competition’ by some locals during Ileya. The concoction is believed to both help energize the rams to fight doggedly and fearlessly with less feeling of pains or tiredness but it is unsafe for humans when injested.
On the incident in Kogi, while Okiribo and Omo-Folorunsho died, one Shola Pempe and another youth were said be hospitalized at ECWA hospital, Makutu.
Some of the youths in the community went ahead to dig the said roots and turn them into concoction (agbo) by themselves and consumed them to be high.
The traditional ruler, Oba Moses Etombi, Agbana of Isanlu, who confirmed the incident described the incident as “tragic” and “very unfortunate”.
The traditional ruler said the incident threw the community into mourning as “it is unbelievable that the herbs that we have been using for treatment of pile could send our beloved ones to their early graves.
“From what I learnt, they drank more than two litres of the concoction, which badly affected their health.
“We only use those herbs for treatment of pile and only a little of its quantity is supposed to be taken. Taking it in excess is not advised at all.
“Thank God the other two survived or else it would have been so disastrous for us in the community,” he told newsmen.
Etonbi, however, advised his subject residents, especially youths, to desist from taking anything that would affect their health.
According to him, hard drugs destroy and should be hated and kept at bay so as to enjoy a good and healthy life.
The Kogi Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Williams Ovye-Aya, also confirmed the incident and advised youths against drugs.
(NAN)
