Benue Police Arrest Herbal Mixture Sellers After Reported Deaths

• Police are investigating the Benue herbal mixture incident after residents reportedly died or became ill following consumption of preparations sold at a local market.

The Benue State Police Command has arrested three herbal mixture sellers following reports of deaths and hospitalisations in Oju Local Government Area.

The affected residents reportedly consumed preparations purchased during Ihiejwo market day in the Igede community.

Police spokesperson Peter Aondongu confirmed that suspects had been transferred to the command headquarters in Makurdi for investigation.

Speaking on Friday, he gave the casualty figures as two deaths and four people receiving hospital treatment. Other published accounts reported higher numbers, leaving the overall toll unclear.

Witnesses said concerns emerged on Monday, November 2, when several people who had consumed the preparations developed similar symptoms.

Trust Radio also reported the police spokesperson’s account of two deaths and four hospitalisations, alongside witnesses’ claims of additional fatalities.

The suspected connection between the preparations and the illnesses remains under investigation. The reports reviewed did not provide laboratory findings identifying a toxic substance or conclusively establishing the cause of death.