29 Dead as Police Arrest Suspected Methanol Producer, 14 Others in Ondo
The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a suspected producer of methanol following the mysterious deaths of youths in Araromi Obu, Odigbo Local Government Area of the state.
The suspect, identified as Oloruntoba Babatunde, popularly known as “Meko”, was arrested after reports linked the deaths to the consumption of alcoholic drinks and herbal concoctions.
Police said substances suspected to contain methanol were recovered from the suspect and sent for forensic examination to determine their composition and possible connection to the deaths.
Police spokesperson, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, said 14 other suspected sellers and consumers of the drinks and concoctions were also arrested in Ore and Odigbo during an enforcement operation.
He said several youths had been taken to the Odigbo Local Government medical facility for medical assessment and treatment, while post mortem examinations and forensic tests are ongoing to establish the actual cause of the deaths.
The Ondo State Government had earlier confirmed that the death toll had risen to 29, with 60 cases recorded, including three people receiving treatment and 27 others under medical observation.
The police have urged residents to avoid unlabelled or suspicious alcoholic drinks and herbal concoctions whose contents and safety cannot be verified.
