The Ondo State Government has ordered a statewide ban on the sale and distribution of alcoholic drinks and other substances whose sources and regulatory status cannot be verified.
The directive followed the deaths of 30 people and the hospitalization of about 50 others in the Odigbo Local Government Area after they reportedly consumed a locally produced alcoholic mixture popularly known as “Monkey Tail.”
The government said the restriction was introduced as an emergency public-health measure to prevent additional casualties while investigations continue into the substance suspected to have caused the deaths.
Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Idowu Ajanaku, said the ban covers alcoholic products and other substances sold in sachets, bottles or similar packaging where the contents, origin or regulatory approval cannot be established.
He urged residents to stay away from unapproved alcoholic drinks and other suspicious substances, particularly products that do not carry appropriate approval from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control.
Under the directive, traders and distributors have been ordered to immediately stop dealing in products that cannot be properly verified. Security agencies have also been instructed to enforce the ban and arrest violators.
The government said the Ministry of Health had launched investigations, with scientific personnel deployed to the affected communities to collect samples and establish the substance responsible for the deaths.
The police have separately arrested 15 people in connection with the production, sale and distribution of the suspected toxic drink. One of the suspects is alleged to have been involved in producing the substance, while materials suspected to contain methanol have been recovered and sent for forensic analysis.
The police said investigations are focusing on the source, production, distribution and consumption of the substance and whether these activities are directly connected to the reported fatalities.
The development follows a rapidly evolving health crisis in Odigbo. Earlier reports put the number of deaths at different figures as authorities continued to verify cases and conduct medical and toxicological examinations.
Authorities have advised residents to avoid locally produced, unlabeled or suspicious alcoholic beverages and herbal mixtures pending the conclusion of the investigation.
The state government also appealed to residents to report suspicious products and sellers to the appropriate authorities, stressing that cooperation from the public would be crucial to preventing further loss of lives.
As investigations continue, officials say anyone found to have deliberately produced, adulterated or distributed harmful substances will be dealt with according to the law.
