Highly toxic concentrations of methanol and Cannabis indica have been detected in locally brewed alcohol and herbal mixtures responsible for a devastating poisoning outbreak in Ondo State, regulatory authorities have confirmed.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) revealed on Friday that the incident has claimed 48 lives and left 182 people ill across the affected areas as of 17 September 2026. Seven victims have suffered permanent or severe vision impairment, with five rendered totally blind and two partially blind.
According to a statement issued by NAFDAC Director-General Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, 15 individuals have been arrested in connection with the production, sale, and distribution of the lethal beverages.
Laboratory testing on 15 unlabelled samples recovered from the field revealed severe contamination. Gas chromatography verified high levels of methanol, a lethal compound known to cause organ failure, blindness, and death, while 11 samples tested positive for Cannabis indica. Furthermore, acute toxicity tests conducted on laboratory mice yielded a 50 per cent mortality rate across six samples, underscoring the extreme toxicity of the concoctions. Further tests to quantify exact chemical concentrations remain ongoing.
The health crisis initially emerged in the Odigbo Local Government Area—heavily impacting Odigbo Town, Araromi-Obu, New Town, Odole, Okele, and Oniparaga—before spreading to Irele Local Government Area. Out of the 182 reported cases, 90 patients were treated and discharged, 31 received outpatient care, and six remain admitted in hospital.
Sufferers presented with rapid health deterioration characterised by severe headaches, general body weakness, breathing difficulties, visual impairment, and loss of consciousness. NAFDAC noted that all casualty figures remain subject to ongoing field verification.
In response, public health authorities have deployed surveillance and risk-control measures across the state, while Professor Adeyeye offered condolences to the bereaved families and pledged swift regulatory intervention.
The agency issued a stern warning advising the public to avoid all unregistered, unlicensed, and locally prepared alcoholic or herbal drinks, urging anyone exhibiting sudden visual changes or respiratory distress following consumption to seek immediate emergency medical care.