At least 30 people have died and about 50 others have been hospitalized following suspected consumption of contaminated locally produced alcoholic drinks in parts of Ondo State, southwestern Nigeria.
The deaths have been reported in Odigbo town, Araromi-Obu, Newtown and Orita Odigbo, all within Odigbo Local Government Area, prompting state authorities to suspend the sale and distribution of unverified alcoholic drinks and other suspected concoctions.
The cause of the deaths, however, has not yet been conclusively established.
The development was initially reported as a suspected poisoning incident after residents who had consumed locally produced alcoholic or herbal mixtures began falling seriously ill and, in some cases, died within hours.
Ondo State Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Awolowo-Ajaka, said health authorities had recorded 60 suspected cases, with 29 deaths officially captured at the time of his briefing. Three people were receiving treatment in hospitals, while another 27 remained under medical observation.
The figures reported by local authorities and media outlets have varied as officials continue to reconcile information from hospitals and affected communities.
Earlier reports had put the number of deaths at 24 before subsequent reports raised it to 29 and then 30. Police have cautioned against treating unverified casualty figures or attributing the deaths to a particular substance until investigations are completed.
About 95 per cent of those affected are reportedly male, with victims aged between 16 and 55.
Symptoms recorded among those who became ill include headaches, body pain, extreme weakness, visual disturbances, difficulty breathing and altered consciousness. Some patients reportedly deteriorated rapidly and died within hours.
Ajaka said the pattern of illness and the reported history of exposure had raised strong suspicion of a toxic alcoholic substance, but stressed that laboratory evidence was still required to establish the cause.
One locally produced drink known as “Monkey Tail” has emerged as a focus of the investigation.
A 32-year-old survivor, Shola Adebayo, told local media that he consumed two shots of the drink after a friend brought it from Ore. He said he developed severe visual problems the following day and was taken to hospital.
The authorities have not yet officially confirmed that Monkey Tail itself caused the deaths.
However, police have now arrested 15 people over the alleged production and distribution of the suspected toxic drink.
The Ondo State Government has ordered the suspension of the sale and distribution of unverified alcoholic drinks and other unapproved substances across the state as a precaution.
The directive covers locally produced drinks and suspected concoctions sold in bottles and sachets, while security agencies have been instructed to enforce the ban and act against illegal distribution.
Health officials have collected blood and urine samples from affected people, while samples of the suspected drinks have also been submitted for toxicological analysis.