At least 48 dead, 100 hospitalised in Nigeria after drinking suspected methanol-laced alcohol

At least 48 people have died and around 100 others are undergoing treatment in southern Nigeria after consuming a locally brewed alcoholic concoction suspected of containing methanol, officials said Thursday.

Ondo State Commissioner for Health Banji Ajaka said cases had been reported in the Odigbo and Irele local government areas. According to the commissioner, 182 people are believed to have been affected, with some currently receiving hospital treatment.

The suspected poisoning has reportedly caused severe health complications, including vision loss and organ damage.

“I took like two shots and I went out on Friday. On Saturday, I noticed that I could not see,” 32-year-old Sola Adebayo told local television channel TVC News while receiving treatment in hospital.

Locally produced alcoholic drinks are widely consumed in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, particularly in rural communities where such beverages can be cheaper and are often subject to limited regulation.

“This thing happened rapidly. Once they consume, depending on the quantity, the kidneys will pack up, the eyes will go, the brain will be damaged,” Ajaka told The Associated Press.

Ondo State police spokesperson Abayomi Jimoh said 15 people had been arrested in connection with the incident. He said one of those arrested was allegedly “involved in the production of substances suspected to contain methanol and is currently assisting the police with investigations.”

Residents told the AP that they suspected a popular high-alcohol herbal drink known as “Monkey Tail” may have been mixed with methanol, resulting in the deaths.

A trader selling the concoction in Odigbo, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because of fears of arrest, said there are two versions of Monkey Tail: an original version considered safe and another version that is unsafe.

Local media reports said the first death linked to the suspected poisoning was recorded nearly two weeks ago.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) is enforcing a nationwide ban on alcohol sold in sachets and small plastic containers. The agency has said such packaging makes alcoholic drinks easily accessible to children and young people.

Authorities are continuing investigations into the suspected methanol contamination and the source of the affected alcoholic concoction.