Police Arrest Suspected Producer After 29 Deaths Linked to Local Alcoholic Drinks in Ondo

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The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a suspected producer and 14 others following a deadly outbreak linked to the consumption of suspected contaminated alcoholic and herbal drinks in Odigbo Local Government Area.

The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a man suspected of producing substances linked to the deaths of 29 people in communities in Odigbo Local Government Area of the state.

The suspect, identified as Oloruntoba Babatunde, popularly known as “Meko,” was arrested over alleged involvement in the production of substances suspected by investigators to contain methanol.

Police said substances suspected to contain methanol were recovered from Babatunde and have been submitted for forensic examination to determine their actual composition and whether they are connected to the deaths.

The command stressed that the investigation is still ongoing and that the exact scientific cause of the deaths has not yet been conclusively established. The bodies of the deceased are also undergoing medical and forensic procedures, including post-mortem examinations.

The arrest follows a health emergency in Araromi-Obu, Odigbo and other communities where residents reportedly became seriously ill after consuming locally produced alcoholic substances and herbal mixtures.

The Ondo State Government has officially recorded 60 suspected cases, comprising 29 deaths, three people currently receiving treatment in hospital and 27 others under medical observation. This represents a provisional case-fatality rate of about 48.3 per cent.

According to the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Awolowo-Ajaka, about 95 per cent of those affected are males between the ages of 16 and 55.

Cases have been identified in Orita Odigbo, Araromi-Obu, New Town, Odole, Okele and Oniparaga communities.

Health officials said affected residents developed symptoms including headaches, body weakness, visual disturbances, difficulty breathing and altered consciousness. Some reportedly deteriorated rapidly after becoming ill.

The health authorities, however, have warned against prematurely declaring methanol as the confirmed cause of the deaths.

Ajaka said the pattern of illness and the reported history of exposure had raised strong epidemiological suspicion of exposure to a toxic alcoholic substance, but laboratory evidence was still required.

The state said blood and urine samples had been collected for laboratory analysis, alongside samples of the suspected alcoholic substances for toxicological examination.

Police investigations have also expanded beyond the alleged producer.

The command said officers from the State Criminal Investigation Department arrested 14 additional suspects, described as alleged sellers and consumers of the drinks and concoctions.

The suspects were arrested during enforcement operations in parts of Ore and Odigbo following the authorities’ efforts to identify the source and distribution network of the suspected harmful products. The investigation has been transferred to the State CID in Akure.

The police said detectives had visited Araromi-Obu to gather additional evidence and trace the production, distribution and consumption of the substances.

The Commissioner of Police, Felix Ohagwu, has directed continued enforcement against the production, distribution and sale of unapproved, adulterated or potentially dangerous alcoholic substances across the state.

The deaths have prompted the Ondo State Government to impose a temporary ban on the production and sale of locally brewed alcoholic and alcoholic herbal beverages in the affected area.

The government has also warned residents against consuming alcoholic products obtained from unlicensed or unverified sources.

The incident has been associated in local reports with herbal alcoholic mixtures commonly referred to as “Monkey Tail.” Authorities, however, are still conducting laboratory and forensic investigations and have not established that a particular product or ingredient was definitively responsible for all the deaths.

The suspected poisoning was first reported after sudden deaths were observed among residents of communities in Odigbo. The number of confirmed fatalities subsequently rose from an initial 24 to 29 as health authorities continued their investigation.

The state government has been working with health, regulatory and security agencies in response to the outbreak.

Residents have been advised to avoid unlabelled or unverified alcoholic mixtures and to seek urgent medical attention if they develop symptoms such as visual problems, breathing difficulties, sudden weakness, confusion or loss of consciousness after consuming alcohol.

The arrest of Babatunde and the 14 other suspects does not yet amount to a determination of criminal responsibility for the deaths. Investigators are expected to rely on laboratory results, forensic examinations, witness accounts and evidence gathered from the suspected production and distribution chain.

For now, 29 deaths and 60 suspected cases have been officially confirmed by the Ondo State Government, while investigations continue to establish exactly what caused the fatalities and whether the substances recovered by police are directly connected to them.