‘Monkey Tail’ tragedy: Ondo death toll hits 49 as 170 people fall ill

The death toll from suspected poisoning linked to locally produced alcoholic drinks and herbal mixtures known as “Monkey Tail” in Ondo State has risen to 49.

The Ondo State Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Ajaka, disclosed this on Wednesday night, saying about 170 people had so far been affected by the suspected toxic drinks.

The latest deaths were recorded in Irele Local Government Area, where eight people reportedly died after consuming the suspected poisonous substances.

Ajaka said health officials had deployed response teams to Irele and other affected communities to monitor the situation, treat victims and investigate the source of the suspected poisoning.

He said the government had not yet determined whether the affected drinks came from one source or different sources.

“Altogether, about 170 people have been affected, including those admitted and those who have died. Our teams are already in Irele as I speak,” Ajaka said.

The commissioner said the state government was working with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

He added that the issue had also been discussed at a national meeting involving state health commissioners and officials of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.

The investigation, he said, would continue until the source of the suspected poisonous substance was identified.

The latest incident follows an earlier outbreak in Odigbo Local Government Area, where several deaths were reported in communities including New Town, Odole, Okele, Orita Odigbo, Araromi-Obu and Oniparaga.

The state government had banned the production and sale of locally brewed alcoholic and alcoholic-herbal drinks in Odigbo as a precautionary measure.

The police also arrested Oloruntoba Babatunde, popularly known as “Meko,” over alleged involvement in the production of substances suspected to contain methanol.

Police spokesperson Jimoh Abayomi said the suspect was assisting the command with its investigation. He added that 14 other people had been arrested for allegedly violating the ban on the sale of herbal products.

Abayomi said the bodies of those who died were undergoing medical and forensic procedures as investigations continued.

Residents turn to prayers

The deaths have caused fear in affected communities, with residents combining medical treatment with prayers and traditional spiritual activities.

In Araromi-Obu, Pastor Segun Ajiboye led residents in prayers for the recovery of those affected and an end to the deaths.

“We are asking God to intervene in our community and put an end to all these deaths. We do not want to witness another death among our people, especially the youths,” he said.

The traditional ruler of Odigbo Kingdom, Rufus Akinrimade, also said the palace had started spiritual cleansing and prayers following the deaths.

The monarch, however, warned residents not to ignore the health dangers associated with consuming unregulated alcoholic drinks.

He said the deaths appeared to be linked to the consumption of locally made alcoholic substances whose source was unknown.

Akinrimade urged residents, especially young people, to avoid drinking alcoholic or herbal preparations when they are unsure of their contents or how they were produced.

Government warning

The Ondo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Idowu Ajanaku, had earlier said the substance linked to the deaths was not a contaminated commercial beverage but a locally produced gin.

Speaking on Channels Television, Ajanaku said the government’s investigation showed that the drink was produced somewhere around Odigbo Local Government Area.

“It is not a contaminated beverage. It is a local gin being manufactured somewhere around Odigbo Local Government Area,” he said.

The state government said surveillance and investigations would continue in the affected communities to identify the source of the suspected toxic drink and prevent the situation from spreading to other parts of the state.