Ondo herbal drink tragedy: 48 dead, five blinded, 182 critically ill – NAFDAC

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NAFDAC boss, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye

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The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has confirmed the death of 48 persons following the consumption of locally prepared alcoholic and herbal concoctions in Ondo State, with 182 others critically ill.

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This is according to a statement issued to newsmen in Abuja on Friday evening by NAFDAC Director-General Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye.

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The statement said the tragedy affected several communities, including New Town, Odole, Okele, Orita Odigbo, Araromi-Obu, and Oniparaga, all situated within the Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State.

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Adeyeye explained that the incident was first reported in early September 2026, after multiple residents suddenly fell ill and died after consuming the suspected herbal substance.

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According to her, initial field reports indicated 31 fatalities—comprising 20 victims in Odigbo Town and 11 in Araromi-Obu—while scores of affected persons were hospitalised or placed under strict medical observation.

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She noted that as regulatory and public health investigations progressed, the casualty figures escalated significantly, bringing the total number of critically ill patients to 182, alongside 48 recorded deaths.

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She said that the remaining affected persons experienced varying degrees of illness and complications, adding that part of the affected persons, 90, were admitted and subsequently discharged.

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The NAFDAC boss said that six of these persons had remained hospitalised, 31 were treated as outpatients, while five persons reportedly became totally blind, while two others were being partially blind.

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“The general clinical features reported among affected persons included headache, generalised body weakness and pain, visual disturbances, difficulty in breathing and altered consciousness, with some cases reportedly deteriorating rapidly.

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“NAFDAC investigations revealed that 15 persons have so far been arrested in connection with the suspected production, sale and distribution of the implicated locally produced alcoholic/herbal beverages,” Adeyeye said.

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She said that NAFDAC had continued to investigate and had taken samples of the suspected concoction for comprehensive laboratory examination and toxicological studies.

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The NAFDAC boss said that these analyses were important for determining the chemical composition of the suspected product and identifying any potentially toxic substances, adulterants, contaminants or undeclared ingredients.

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“The laboratory conducted toxicological, microbiological and chemical screening to identify potential toxicants on the fifteen (15) unlabelled samples that were submitted to the laboratory.

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“Acute Oral Toxicity Test was performed using official methods – animal models (laboratory mice) in accordance with laboratory SOPs and OECD standard guidelines.

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“Chemical analysis was conducted using gas chromatography to detect toxic contaminants, while microbiological examination was conducted in line with USP standards and Laboratory SOP Preliminary Findings.”

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“The acute oral toxicity test results for all samples recorded critically sick mice and approximately 50 per cent mortality were recorded in six samples out of the 15 analysed, indicating significant toxic potential of the samples,” she said.

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Adeyeye said that those critically ill recovered after 24 hours of administration, adding that there were possibilities that those that recovered might die if challenged with a second dose (estimated dose).

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She said that the chemical screening results indicated that eleven (11) samples have cannabis indica, while chemical analysis with gas chromatography confirmed the presence of a high concentration of methanol.

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According to her, methanol is a highly toxic substance known to cause severe health effects, including blindness, organ failure, and death.

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She that the preliminary conclusion with the combination of high mortality in animal testing confirmed methanol contamination strongly suggests that the samples pose a serious public health risk.

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Adeyeye said that the findings, however, required further confirmatory analyses, adding that the findings required immediate regulatory intervention to prevent further harm.

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She noted that further confirmatory testing was ongoing to quantify the methanol concentration and identify other possible toxic agents.

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According to her, methanol in oral preparations is extremely dangerous, and ingestion can cause severe poisoning leading to blindness, organ failure, and death.

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She said that the Ondo incident currently represented a significant public health concern due to the increasing number of deaths and those requiring medical attention.

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She said that the current reported situation as of Sept. 17, 2026, summarised that the above figures remained subject to continued verification as the investigation and surveillance activities continued.

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The NAFDAC boss commiserated with the bereaved families, praying for the repose of the souls of the departed as laboratory analyses and investigations continued to identify the toxic contaminants. (NAN)

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