- Leaves many others in hospital
The sleepy Odigbo town in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State is in a state of mourning as not less than 24 people have reportedly died after allegedly consuming locally brewed drinks in the area.
According to community sources, the wave of fear and anxiety now grips following a suspected poisoning outbreak linked to the toxic local liquor continue to claim the lives of residents.
The sources hinted that these reported fatalities, which occurred in rapid succession between September 3 and 7, 2026, have thrown the community into deep mourning and triggered an urgent investigation by state health authorities with preliminary findings from the Ondo State Ministry of Health indicating that the victims died after consuming a potent, locally brewed alcoholic drink popularly known as ‘Monkey Tail‘.
With the tragic incident unfolding silently across the neighborhood, deeply troubled residents recounted how some victims collapsed and died suddenly in their homes, while others went to sleep and never woke up.
In response to this deadly health crisis, local government officials have placed an immediate ban on the sale and consumption of all locally brewed alcohol in the area, while medical teams and police forensic experts perform toxicological tests to identify the exact chemical contaminant.
Reacting to the tragic incident, the traditional ruler of Odigbo, Oba Rufus Akinrinmade, told youths, who marched to his palace to demand an immediate intervention in halting the worrying deaths, that efforts were already on to determine the cause of the fatalities and prevent further loss of lives in the community.
Also addressing community members during his visit to the affected areas, Permanent Secretary of the Ondo State Ministry of Health, Dr Ayodele Adeji, said preliminary findings pointed to a possible link between the deaths and the consumption of locally brewed alcoholic beverages.
According to him, a locally produced drink popularly known as “Monkey Tail”, as well as other herbal and ethanol-based drinks, had emerged as substances of interest in the ongoing investigation, adding: “Preliminary findings suggest a possible link between the deaths and the consumption of locally brewed alcoholic beverages, particularly a drink known as ‘Monkey Tail’ and other locally prepared herbal and ethanol-based drinks.”
However, while cautioning against drawing conclusions, Dr Adeji stressed that laboratory analysis of samples collected from the area was still ongoing, noting that, “Further investigations are required to establish whether there is any direct connection between the consumption of the drinks and the reported deaths.”
Similarly, the Ondo State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Banji Ajaka, said authorities were taking the matter seriously but declined to disclose the specific substance suspected to be responsible until medical assessments and laboratory examinations were concluded.
On his part, the Chairman of Odigbo Local Government Area, Taiwo Adegoroye, has imposed a one-month ban on the sale and consumption of locally brewed alcoholic drinks in the area as a precautionary measure, explaining that a preliminary verbal autopsy conducted by the local government health team indicated a possible connection between the fatalities and the consumption of certain locally produced substances.
“The decision is intended to protect public health while relevant authorities continue investigations into the reported cases,” he said, assuring also that toxicological investigations were ongoing to establish the exact cause of the deaths.
Adegoroye warned that anyone caught selling or distributing the banned drinks during the restriction period would face arrest and prosecution.
Meanwhile, available information indicates that the deaths toll were recorded in Araromi-Obu, Orita New Town and Odigbo communities, while several other victims are currently receiving treatment in hospitals.
