Preliminary NAFDAC tests detect high levels of methanol in suspected drinks; 15 people have been arrested and the outbreak has reached a second local government.
The suspected toxic alcohol outbreak in Ondo State has killed at least 49 people, with 182 cases recorded, as it spreads from Odigbo into neighbouring Irele Local Government Area, according to media reports on Friday, citing state Health Commissioner Dr Banji Ajaka.
Early laboratory results from NAFDAC point to methanol, but the agency says the findings are preliminary and more tests are under way.
Key facts
- Deaths: 49, per Reuters and Channels TV. NAFDAC’s latest update lists 48.
- Cases: 182 recorded at health facilities
- Arrests: 15, including one alleged producer
Outbreak Spreads to Irele
First reported on September 5, the outbreak began in Odigbo, mainly Araromi-Obu. It has since reached Irele, where Ajaka said about eight people had died, Guardian Nigeria reported. The Sun reported that the Idogun and Gbogunron communities are affected.
The toll has climbed steeply. Drinkabl reported 32 deaths on September 12, a figure from Odigbo council chairman Taiwo Adegoroye. The state government’s earlier count was 29. Officials traced the first cluster to two naming ceremonies, where a person outside one of the host families supplied the drink.
What the Laboratory Found
NAFDAC said gas chromatography detected high concentrations of methanol in the suspected drinks. The agency stressed the results are preliminary. Further tests will measure the methanol concentration and check for other toxic agents.
Methanol has not yet been confirmed as the cause of every death, or as the substance consumed in both Odigbo and Irele.
Suspected Producer Arrested
Police arrested Oloruntoba Babatunde, known as “Meko,” who is suspected of involvement in producing substances believed to contain methanol and is assisting investigators, according to a police statement. Fourteen others were arrested for violating the local ban on selling herbal drinks.
The arrests do not establish responsibility for the deaths. Forensic tests and post-mortem examinations are pending.
The Monkey Tail Question
Residents blame a high-alcohol herbal drink known as Monkey Tail. Locals told the Associated Press they suspect it was mixed with methanol, while an Odigbo trader said two versions exist, one safe and one not.
No authority has publicly tied a specific product, producer or batch to all 49 deaths.
What Methanol Does
Methanol breaks down into compounds that can cause blindness and organ failure. Victims reported visual disturbances and breathing difficulty, and some deteriorated rapidly. NAFDAC counts five victims as totally blind and two as partially blind.
“…the kidneys will pack up, the eyes will go, the brain will be damaged.”
Dr Banji Ajaka, Ondo State Commissioner for Health
Anyone who drank the concoction and feels unwell should go to a health facility immediately.
Why It Matters for the Drinks Industry
Monkey Tail is an unlicensed herbal drink with no connection to the manufactured sachet brands NAFDAC is recalling, as Drinkabl has reported. The outbreak shows how much alcohol still moves outside licensed supply chains, where quality checks do not reach.
Authorities have banned the production and sale of locally brewed alcoholic and herbal drinks in Odigbo. Investigators are still searching for the source of the drink consumed in Irele, and whether it shares a source with the Odigbo drink.
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