The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a suspected producer of alcoholic and herbal concoctions following a wave of deaths in Odigbo Local Government Area, as investigators examine substances suspected to contain methanol.
Police said the suspect is assisting with the investigation after substances believed to contain methanol were recovered and submitted for forensic examination. Officers have also arrested 14 other people described as suspected sellers and consumers of the drinks across affected communities.
The investigation follows the deaths of residents in Araromi-Obu and other communities in Odigbo LGA. The Ondo State Government had confirmed 29 deaths from 60 reported cases as of September 12, while three victims remained hospitalised and 27 others were under medical observation.
The police investigation is expected to establish whether the suspected substances were responsible for the fatalities.
The police said its Criminal Investigation Department arrested the alleged producer and recovered substances suspected to contain methanol.
According to the command, laboratory and forensic analysis will determine the actual composition of the recovered products and establish whether they are connected to the deaths.
That distinction remains important because investigators have not yet publicly confirmed that methanol poisoning caused the fatalities.
Police are also conducting medical and forensic procedures on the bodies of the deceased. The results are expected to provide additional evidence about the cause of death.
The Commissioner of Police, Felix Ohagwu, has directed sustained enforcement against the production, distribution and sale of unapproved, adulterated or potentially dangerous alcoholic substances across Ondo State.
The latest police operation has expanded beyond the alleged producer.
Investigators said 14 people suspected of selling or consuming the drinks and concoctions were arrested at different locations in the affected area. Their arrests are expected to help investigators trace the supply and distribution chain of the products.
The police action follows an earlier government warning against unregulated alcoholic and herbal preparations after residents began falling ill in parts of Odigbo LGA.
The investigation will therefore focus on several questions:
- Where were the suspected drinks produced?
- What substances were used in their production?
- Who distributed or sold the products?
- Which communities received the suspected drinks?
- Did the products cause the reported illnesses and deaths?
- Were any existing regulatory or safety requirements violated?
The police arrests came after the Ondo State Government reported a sharp rise in fatalities linked to the suspected consumption of contaminated alcoholic beverages.
Health Commissioner Banji Awolowo-Ajaka said 60 cases had been recorded, with 29 deaths confirmed at the time of his briefing. Three people were receiving hospital treatment, while 27 others were being monitored.
The affected communities included:
- Orita Odigbo
- Araromi-Obu
- Newtown
- Odole
- Okele
- Oniparaga
The health commissioner said about 95 per cent of those affected were males between 16 and 55 years old. Reported symptoms included headaches, body pain, weakness, visual problems, breathing difficulties and altered consciousness. Some victims reportedly deteriorated within hours.
Earlier reports had produced varying casualty figures as authorities worked to verify deaths across communities and hospitals. Police had initially cautioned that the exact number of casualties and the precise cause of death had not been established.
The latest arrests mark a significant development, but they do not by themselves establish criminal responsibility for the deaths.
The suspected producer remains under investigation, while forensic experts examine the recovered substances and the bodies of the deceased.
The distinction is particularly important because reports initially linked the deaths broadly to herbal concoctions and locally produced alcoholic beverages before authorities established the precise cause.
The police have urged continued enforcement against unapproved alcoholic products, while the state government has separately warned residents to avoid substances whose safety has not been established.
Beyond the criminal investigation, the Odigbo deaths have raised questions about the availability and regulation of locally produced alcoholic and herbal products.
The incident demonstrates the potential consequences when consumers cannot verify the ingredients, production standards or safety of substances being sold for human consumption.
For affected communities, the immediate priorities remain treatment, identification of additional victims, prevention of further exposure and accurate determination of what caused the deaths.
For law enforcement, the next stage will depend heavily on toxicological and forensic findings.
The Ondo Police Command is expected to continue questioning the arrested suspects while forensic experts analyse the recovered substances.
The outcome could determine whether additional arrests follow and whether criminal charges are brought against anyone found responsible.
For now, authorities have not conclusively established that methanol caused all the reported deaths. The recovered substances and post-mortem examinations will be central to resolving that question.
The Odigbo deaths have already triggered a broader crackdown on unapproved alcoholic and herbal products in the area. The final forensic findings will determine whether the suspected producer and other arrested persons can be directly linked to the fatalities.
