NAFDAC records 182 cases, five totally blind; 15 arrested over suspected alcoholic and herbal concoctions
The death toll from a suspected mass poisoning linked to locally prepared alcoholic and herbal concoctions in Ondo State has risen to 48, with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) reporting 182 cases as of September 17, 2026.
The agency said preliminary laboratory investigations had detected high concentrations of methanol in samples of the suspected beverages, raising serious concerns about their potential role in the severe illnesses and deaths reported in parts of Odigbo Local Government Area.
In an update issued on September 18, NAFDAC said the affected communities included New Town, Odole, Okele, Orita Odigbo, Araromi-Obu and Oniparaga, with Odigbo Town and Araromi-Obu recording the highest impact.
The agency said the incident had also extended beyond Odigbo to Irele Local Government Area.
DG, NAFDAC
Of the 182 cases recorded, NAFDAC said 90 people had been admitted and subsequently discharged, while 31 were treated as outpatients. Six people remained hospitalised as of September 17.
The health consequences have been severe.
According to the agency, five people have been rendered totally blind and two partially blind.
Reported symptoms include headache, generalised weakness and pain, visual disturbances, difficulty breathing and altered consciousness, with some patients deteriorating rapidly.
Methanol raises serious concern
NAFDAC said it collected 15 unlabelled samples of the suspected concoctions for acute oral toxicity testing, chemical analysis using gas chromatography and microbiological examination.
The preliminary findings, according to the agency, were concerning.
Eleven of the 15 samples tested positive for Cannabis indica, while gas chromatography detected high concentrations of methanol.
Methanol is a highly toxic form of alcohol that can cause serious poisoning, including visual impairment or blindness, organ damage and death when sufficiently large amounts are consumed.
NAFDAC said acute oral toxicity testing produced an approximately 50 per cent mortality rate in laboratory mice across six of the samples analysed, indicating significant toxic potential.
However, the agency stressed that confirmatory analyses to quantify the methanol concentrations and identify any additional toxic agents are still ongoing.
This means the laboratory investigation has not yet established the complete composition of the substances or definitively attributed all the reported deaths to a single toxic agent.
15 arrested
NAFDAC also disclosed that 15 people had been arrested in connection with the suspected production, sale and distribution of the implicated beverages.
The agency said surveillance, case management and risk-control measures were continuing in the affected communities in collaboration with relevant public health authorities.
It warned members of the public against purchasing or consuming unlicensed, unregulated or locally prepared alcoholic and herbal concoctions of unknown composition.
NAFDAC particularly urged anyone who develops sudden visual disturbances, severe headache, difficulty breathing or altered consciousness after consuming such substances to seek immediate medical attention.
