Ondo ‘Monkey Tail’ Crisis Spreads To Irele As Death Toll Rises To 49, 170 Affected
The health crisis linked to the consumption of suspected poisonous herbal alcoholic drinks in Ondo State has worsened, with the death toll rising to 49 and about 170 people reportedly affected across the State.
The latest development has also seen the crisis spread from communities in Odigbo Local Government Area to Irele Local Government Area, where eight additional deaths have been reported.
The Ondo State Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Ajaka, confirmed the latest figures, saying the total number of affected persons included those who had been admitted for treatment as well as those who had died.
According to him, Irele has now emerged as the area of major concern, with medical teams already deployed to respond to the situation.
“As we are now, Irele is where we have a serious issue. Our people were there and many people have died. About eight people have been recorded to have died as of last night,” Ajaka said.
The Commissioner said the Government had intensified its emergency response to prevent the suspected poisoning from spreading to other parts of the state.
He explained that health officials and other relevant stakeholders were being deployed to communities immediately after reports of suspected cases were received.
The crisis was initially reported in communities including New Town, Odole, Okele and Orita Odigbo, as well as Araromi-Obu and Oniparaga, all in or around Odigbo Local Government Area.
Earlier reports had put the number of deaths at 24 before the figure rose to 29, 30 and subsequently 49 as authorities continued to collate information from affected communities and health facilities. The number of people affected has also increased from the earlier 60 suspected cases to about 170.
Global Mirror News gathered that authorities had previously linked many of the cases to the consumption of locally produced alcoholic and herbal mixtures popularly referred to as “Monkey Tail.” The drinks were reportedly consumed in connection with social gatherings, including naming ceremonies.
The State Government had earlier warned residents against consuming unregulated alcoholic mixtures and herbal products whose ingredients and production processes could not be verified.
Police arrest suspected producer
As investigations continue, the Ondo State Police Command has arrested a man identified as Oloruntoba Babatunde, popularly known as “Meko,” over the alleged production of a herbal liquid substance suspected to be connected with the deaths.
The Police also announced the arrest of 14 other persons for allegedly violating a ban imposed on the sale of herbal alcoholic products in the affected areas.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, said Babatunde was suspected of producing substances that may contain methanol and was assisting investigators with the ongoing probe.
Police authorities said suspected substances recovered during the investigation had been subjected to forensic examination to determine their composition and establish whether they were connected to the reported deaths.
The Command added that the bodies of some of the deceased were undergoing necessary medical and forensic procedures as investigations continued.
Government intensifies emergency response
The Ondo State Government has continued to work with health officials and relevant agencies to contain the crisis and determine the precise cause of the deaths.
The State is also collaborating with agencies including NAFDAC, NDLEA, DSS and NSCDC as part of efforts to investigate the suspected poisonous drinks and prevent further casualties.
Although methanol contamination has been raised as a possible factor in the investigation, authorities are expected to rely on laboratory and forensic findings before making a final determination on the exact substance responsible for the deaths.
Global Mirror News reports that the latest development has heightened concerns over the dangers posed by unregulated locally produced alcoholic mixtures, particularly products sold without proper information about their ingredients, production process and safety.
Residents in affected communities have been advised to avoid consuming suspicious or unregulated alcoholic and herbal mixtures and to seek urgent medical attention if they develop unusual symptoms after consuming any such product.
Authorities have also urged members of the public to report suspicious production or distribution of unapproved alcoholic substances to the relevant Agencies.
The investigation remains ongoing, while officials continue to monitor affected communities and update the casualty figures as more information becomes available
