The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has confirmed high concentrations of methanol in locally prepared alcoholic and herbal concoctions linked to a series of deaths in Ondo State.
The agency disclosed that 15 persons have been arrested in connection with the suspected production, sale and distribution of the implicated beverages.
NAFDAC said the discovery followed investigations into the deaths, with laboratory analysis establishing the presence of dangerously high levels of methanol in samples of the locally produced alcoholic and herbal concoctions.
Methanol is a toxic form of alcohol that can cause serious poisoning and, in severe cases, blindness, organ damage and death when consumed.
The arrests mark a major development in the investigation as authorities move to identify those responsible for producing and distributing the suspected toxic beverages.
NAFDAC’s intervention also raises fresh concerns over the safety of unregulated alcoholic and herbal concoctions produced and sold outside established regulatory controls.
The agency is expected to continue its investigations and enforcement operations to trace the source and distribution network of the implicated products.
Authorities have continued to urge members of the public to exercise caution over consuming locally prepared alcoholic or herbal products of uncertain origin, particularly those without the required regulatory approval and safety information.
