The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has confirmed 48 deaths and 182 cases of severe illness linked to the consumption of locally prepared alcoholic and herbal concoctions in parts of Ondo State.
The agency, in an update issued on Friday, September 18, 2026, said the outbreak, initially reported in Odigbo Local Government Area, had extended to Irele Local Government Area.According to the statement signed by NAFDAC Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, affected communities include New Town, Odole, Okele, Orita Odigbo, Araromi-Obu and Oniparaga, with Odigbo Town and Araromi-Obu recording the highest impact.
NAFDAC said that as of September 17, a total of 182 cases had been recorded, while 48 deaths had been confirmed. It added that 90 affected persons had been admitted to hospital and subsequently discharged, while 31 were treated as outpatients and six remained hospitalised.
The agency further disclosed that the health crisis had resulted in serious complications, including permanent or severe visual impairment, with five people rendered totally blind and another two partially blind.Other symptoms reported among affected persons include headaches, generalised body weakness and pain, visual disturbances, difficulty breathing and altered consciousness.
NAFDAC said some patients had deteriorated rapidly after consuming the suspected alcoholic and herbal concoctions.
The agency said its preliminary laboratory investigation had raised serious concerns over the contents of the suspected beverages.
According to NAFDAC, 15 unlabelled samples of the suspected concoction were subjected to acute oral toxicity testing, chemical analysis using chromatography and microbiological examination.
The agency said 11 of the 15 samples tested positive for Cannabis indica, while gas chromatography confirmed the presence of high concentrations of methanol.Methanol is a highly toxic substance which, according to NAFDAC, can cause blindness, organ failure and death when consumed.
The agency also reported that acute oral toxicity tests recorded approximately 50 per cent mortality in laboratory mice across six of the samples analysed, indicating what it described as significant toxic potential.
NAFDAC said confirmatory analyses were still ongoing to determine the precise concentration of methanol in the products and identify any additional toxic substances.
As part of efforts to establish the source and distribution chain of the suspected beverages, NAFDAC said 15 people had been arrested in connection with the production, sale and distribution of the implicated products.
The agency said surveillance, case management and risk-control measures were continuing across the affected communities in collaboration with relevant public health authorities.It also warned members of the public against purchasing or consuming unlicensed, unregistered and locally prepared alcoholic or herbal concoctions of unknown composition.
NAFDAC urged anyone who develops sudden visual disturbances, severe headaches, difficulty breathing or altered consciousness after consuming such substances to seek immediate medical attention.
The agency expressed sympathy to the families of those who died in the incident and said necessary regulatory actions were being taken to contain the outbreak.
