The Ondo State Police Command has managed the situation following reports of sudden deaths in Araromi-Obu, Odigbo Local Government Area. They confirmed the arrest of one Oloruntoba Babatunde, also known as “Meko.” He is suspected of producing the drinks that allegedly killed 29 people and is helping the police with their investigation.
Police spokesperson Abayomi Jimoh shared this information in a statement in Akure, the state capital, on Sunday. The tragic incident led to 29 deaths, and several others remain in the hospital.
According to Jimoh, substances believed to be methanol were recovered. They are undergoing tests to find out what they are and if they are connected to the deaths. “The police have started looking into how these deaths happened, while the bodies are going through medical and forensic checks,” Jimoh stated on Sunday.
“The results from the ongoing post-mortem examinations should give more medical evidence about the actual causes of death. Meanwhile, health officials are stepping up medical help, with many youths from the affected community taken to the Odigbo Local Government health facility for checks, tests, and treatment.”
The police have begun a major operation to enforce the Liquor Act. This aims to stop the sale and use of harmful and potentially deadly alcoholic drinks. Jimoh mentioned that the operation took place in Ore and Odigbo following the strange deaths caused by these drinks.
He said, “During the operation, fourteen suspects were arrested, including those selling and consuming the drinks. The suspects are Ayemobola Abayomi (M), Ebeyilo Oyekan (M), Fadeyi Folake (F), Febisola Solomon (F), Olamojiba Akinyosoye (F), Julius Ogeichi (F), Seyifunmi Aduke (F), Adesanmi Toyin (F), Oluwoye Amaka (F), Adeyayi Ojo (M), Adebayo Olaniyi (M), Raphael Emeka (M), Adenuga Oluwaseun (M), and Adediwura Godwin (F).”
“The case has been sent to the State CID in Akure for careful investigation. A team of detectives visited Araromi-Obu on 12 September 2026 to collect more evidence.”
“The Command is looking into every detail, including the source, production, and distribution of the suspected substances, along with their link to the reported deaths. The suspects are still in police custody while investigations continue and will face charges in court when the investigation is over.”
Jimoh emphasized the command’s commitment to protecting lives and stopping the spread of substances that threaten public health. The Commissioner of Police, Felix Ohagwu, has ordered strict enforcement against producing, distributing, and selling dangerous alcoholic drinks across the state.
“The Command advises the public to be very careful and avoid drinking locally made, unlabelled, or suspicious alcoholic drinks and herbal mixtures. They should also report any production or sale of harmful substances to the nearest police station or through the Command’s official channels,” he added.
Ondo State Commissioner for Health, Banji Ajaka, revealed that there are 60 suspected cases currently, with 29 fatalities. Three people are in the hospital, while 27 are being observed. “This shows a death rate of about 48.3 percent. Most of those affected (95%) are males aged between 16 and 55 years,” he said.
Ajaka noted that the cases were mainly found in New Town, Odole, Okele, and Orita Odigbo in Odigbo Ward, and later in Araromi Obu. A new suspected case has also been reported from Oniparaga, which is now under close watch.
“The Ministry of Health first learned about the deaths cluster on 3 September 2026. Further checks found more deaths in nearby areas over the following days. As the investigation went on, a second cluster was found in Araromi Obu, where eight people died after consuming an alcoholic drink at a naming ceremony,” Ajaka explained.
“Reported symptoms among those affected included headaches, body pains, weakness, vision issues, breathing problems, and confusion, with some patients declining quickly and dying. The illness symptoms and the reported history suggest they were exposed to a toxic alcoholic substance. But I want to stress that we have not yet confirmed the cause of deaths in the lab.
“So, all cases are still considered suspected until we find the specific toxic agent responsible. The investigation is ongoing.”
Drop your comment
No comments yet — be the first to drop the gist 👇