Following an outbreak recently linked to 48 deaths and 182 reported cases in parts of Ondo State, the state government has begun a review of the regulatory framework governing the preparation, production, distribution, sale and consumption of locally made herbal and alcoholic products.
State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Olukayode Ajulo, SAN, disclosed the development in Akure on Sunday, saying the government’s response would extend beyond prosecuting those who may have been responsible for the suspected poisoning.
The move comes after the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) reported that preliminary laboratory analysis detected high concentrations of methanol in samples of the suspected drinks.
The agency said 15 samples were analysed, with 11 also testing positive for Cannabis indica. Further tests are being conducted to determine the precise methanol concentration and establish whether other toxic substances were present.
NAFDAC said its figures, covering the situation as of September 17, showed that 182 people had been affected, with 48 confirmed deaths.
Five victims were totally blinded while two others suffered partial loss of sight.
Ninety people had been admitted and discharged, six remained hospitalised and 31 were treated as outpatients, according to the agency.
The affected communities are concentrated in Odigbo Local Government Area, including Odigbo Town, Araromi-Obu, New Town, Odole, Okele, Orita Odigbo and Oniparaga. Cases have also been reported in neighbouring Irele Local Government Area.
NAFDAC’s laboratory findings have added a significant dimension to the investigation.
The agency said chemical analysis confirmed high methanol concentrations, while toxicity testing showed serious effects in laboratory animals, reinforcing concerns over the danger posed by the implicated beverages. Confirmatory analysis remains ongoing.
Fifteen people have been arrested in connection with the suspected production, sale and distribution of the beverages.
Human rights lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, has called on the Ondo State Attorney-General to ensure that those found responsible are prosecuted.
Responding to the call, Ajulo said the state had already initiated a process aimed at establishing exactly how the deaths occurred.
“Immediately the matter came to the attention of the government, I formally wrote to the Honourable Chief Judge of Ondo State requesting the constitution of a Coroner’s Court to inquire into the deaths,” he said.
According to him, the inquest will investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths and establish, based on evidence, their immediate and remote causes.
Ajulo said the government would also examine the broader regulatory environment surrounding locally prepared herbal and alcoholic products, arguing that preventing a recurrence requires more than prosecuting individuals after lives have been lost.
He disclosed that the regulatory review had actually commenced before the latest outbreak, following the submission of a proposed draft regulation to his office by stakeholders and concerned citizens.
The commissioner warned that anyone found to have breached the law would face prosecution.
Where investigations establish criminal responsibility, he said, the government would take appropriate legal action in accordance with the Constitution and other applicable laws.
Ajulo also assured the public that no person would be protected from investigation because of status, influence or connections.
At the same time, he said all suspects would be accorded due process.
He identified truth, accountability and prevention as the three principles guiding the government’s response.
The commissioner expressed condolences to families who lost relatives in the outbreak and wished those still receiving treatment a full recovery.
NAFDAC has separately warned Nigerians against consuming unlicensed, unregistered or locally prepared alcoholic and herbal concoctions whose contents are unknown, as investigations and risk-control measures continue in the affected communities.
The Ondo government’s regulatory review therefore places the outbreak beyond an isolated criminal investigation, raising broader questions about how locally prepared alcoholic and herbal products are produced, marketed and monitored in the state.
