The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a suspected producer of alcoholic concoctions allegedly linked to the sudden deaths of residents in Odigbo Local Government Area.
The suspect was arrested over substances suspected to contain methanol following reports of multiple deaths in Araromi-Obu and neighbouring communities.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, disclosed the arrest in a statement made available to journalists on Sunday.
According to Jimoh, the suspect is assisting investigators, while substances suspected to contain methanol recovered from the area have been subjected to forensic examination to establish their exact composition and determine whether they are connected to the reported deaths.
The police also said 14 other suspects, including alleged sellers and consumers of the drinks and concoctions, had been arrested at different locations across the affected communities.
The bodies of the deceased are also undergoing medical and forensic procedures to provide further evidence on the actual cause of death.
The development follows the Ondo State Government’s confirmation on Friday that 29 people had died from 60 recorded cases linked to the suspected consumption of contaminated alcoholic beverages in Odigbo.
The Commissioner for Health, Banji Awolowo-Ajaka, said three victims were receiving treatment in hospitals while 27 others were under medical observation.
He said about 95 per cent of those affected were males aged between 16 and 55, with cases reported in Orita Odigbo, Araromi-Obu, Newtown, Odole, Okele and Oniparaga.
Reported symptoms included headache, body pain, weakness, visual disturbance, difficulty breathing and altered consciousness. Some victims reportedly deteriorated rapidly and died within hours.
Following the deaths, the Commissioner of Police, Felix Ohagwu, directed sustained enforcement against the production, distribution and sale of unapproved, adulterated or otherwise dangerous alcoholic substances across Ondo State.
The police investigation is expected to establish the source and composition of the suspected substances and their possible connection to the deaths.
