Three persons have been confirmed after alleged exposure to the toxic waste disposed into a pit in a forest in Ondo State.

The waste was allegedly discharged into a pit in Omotosho forest reserve by WeWood Company, a Chinese manufacturing company, in Okitipupa Local Government Area.

It was gathered that the casualties, Akinmusire Monday, 35, Samuel Louis, 45, and Ododolewa Adebowale, 19 had gone to work at the forest reserve situated in Akinfosile/Omotosho area of the local government.

The trio reportedly went to the forest reserve to fell trees and cut them to size for sale last week. They, however, failed to return, prompting the community leader of Akinfosile, Olufara of Akinfosile, Oba Olamide Ayodele, to report to security agencies.

Following the report, a search party was put together which led to the discovery of the missing persons with their remains covered with black substance suspected to be toxic waste.

When youths in the community realised that they were killed by toxic waste generated by the Chinese company, which is into cassava to ethanol processing, they protested to the company to alert them about the incident.

Confirming the incident, Police Public Relations Officer in the state, ASP Teo-Leo Ikoro, said it was an accident as a result of the toxic waste that overflowed where it was discharged.

“The bodies of the victims of the accident have been deposited in a morgue. But the company and the families of the victims are already talking and making arrangements on the matter. It was an accident.”

The bodies of the victims were later evacuated and deposited at the morgue of a private hospital in Ore.