At least 48 people have died in Nigeria’s southern Ondo State after consuming a locally brewed alcoholic drink suspected to contain methanol, officials said on Thursday, September 17, 2026.
Ondo State Health Commissioner Banji Ajaka said 182 people had been affected in the Odigbo and Irele local government areas, with about 100 receiving treatment. Some victims suffered blindness, kidney failure and brain damage.
Residents suspect that methanol was added to a potent herbal alcoholic drink known locally as “Monkey Tail”. Local media reported that the first death occurred nearly two weeks earlier.
Police said 15 people had been arrested in connection with the incident. The suspects include a person allegedly involved in producing substances believed to contain methanol.
Locally produced alcohol is widely consumed in rural parts of Nigeria because it is cheaper, but production is often poorly regulated. Nigeria’s food and drug regulator is also enforcing a nationwide ban on alcohol sold in sachets and small plastic containers, citing concerns about its accessibility to children and young people.