A disturbing incident in the Igede community of Oju Local Government Area, Benue State, has led to the deaths of at least three individuals and left 14 others hospitalized after they consumed herbal mixtures suspected to contain toxic substances. Reports indicate that four of those hospitalized are in critical condition.

The unfortunate event unfolded during the Ihiejwo market day last weekend when three men allegedly hawking the herbal mixtures sold them to unsuspecting residents. Eyewitness accounts suggest that the situation escalated into chaos on Monday, November 2, when several individuals who had ingested the herbal concoctions began to exhibit alarming symptoms.

An eyewitness, who identified himself as Ogbu, recounted the grim timeline of the incident. He stated that one victim succumbed to the effects of the herbal mixture on Tuesday morning, followed by another death in the early hours of Wednesday, and the third victim passed away on Thursday. Ogbu noted that 14 additional individuals who consumed the herbal preparations are currently receiving treatment at the General Hospital in Oju.

The Chairman of Oju Local Government Area, Jackson Ominyi, confirmed the incident and stated that the suspected sellers of the herbal mixtures have been apprehended and are now in custody at the state police command headquarters in Makurdi. Ominyi remarked, "Yes, but up till now, I have not got the exact number of those who died yet, but the number so far is three as of yesterday (Thursday). Several others are currently receiving treatment at the General Hospital in Oju and the persons selling the herbs have been arrested and sent to Makurdi."

The local government is reportedly taking steps to ensure that the victims receiving medical care are adequately supported. However, attempts to reach the spokesperson for the Benue State police command, DSP Peter Aondongu, for further comments were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to calls or text messages.

This tragic event in Benue follows a similar incident in Ondo State in September 2026, where at least 48 people died and 182 others were affected after consuming a contaminated locally brewed herbal alcoholic drink. That incident raised serious concerns about the safety of herbal products and the need for stricter regulations in the herbal medicine sector to prevent future occurrences of such tragedies.