The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a suspected producer of substances believed to contain methanol following the sudden deaths of about 30 residents of Araromi-Obu and other communities in Odigbo Local Government Area of the state.

The suspect, whose identity was not disclosed, was arrested after the police commenced an investigation into the deaths reportedly linked to the consumption of suspected contaminated alcoholic drinks and concoctions.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists on Sunday evening.

Jimoh said the suspect was assisting the police with the investigation, adding that substances suspected to contain methanol had also been recovered.

He said the recovered substances had been subjected to further investigation and forensic examination to determine their exact composition and establish whether they were linked to the reported deaths.

The police spokesperson added that the bodies of the deceased were also undergoing medical and forensic procedures to establish the actual cause of death.

He said, “The outcome of these examinations is expected to provide further medical evidence regarding the actual cause of the deaths.”

Jimoh further disclosed that operatives of the state Criminal Investigation Department had arrested 14 other suspects comprising alleged sellers and consumers of the drinks and concoctions at different locations in the affected communities.

The development came days after the Ondo State Government confirmed that 29 people had died following the suspected consumption of contaminated alcoholic beverages in Araromi-Obu and other communities in Odigbo LGA.

The state Commissioner for Health, Banji Awolowo-Ajaka, who disclosed this on Friday, said 60 cases had so far been recorded.

According to him, three of the affected persons were receiving treatment in hospitals, while 27 others were under medical observation.

The commissioner said about 95 per cent of those affected were males aged between 16 and 55.

He listed the affected communities as Orita Odigbo, Araromi-Obu, Newtown, Odole, Okele and Oniparaga.

Awolowo-Ajaka said the victims presented symptoms including headache, body pain, general weakness, visual impairment, difficulty in breathing and altered consciousness.

He added that some of the patients deteriorated rapidly and died within a few hours.

Following the development, the Commissioner of Police, Felix Ohagwu, directed sustained enforcement against the production, distribution and sale of unapproved, adulterated or otherwise dangerous alcoholic substances across the state.

The police said the investigation was ongoing, while the forensic examination of the recovered substances and the remains of the deceased would help determine the exact cause of the deaths.

The Ondo State Government has ordered the immediate ban on the sale and distribution of unverified alcoholic drinks and other substances following the deaths of 29 people in Odigbo Local Government Area of the state.

The government also directed security agencies to take immediate action against the sale and distribution of illegal and unapproved products across the state.

The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Idowu Ajanaku, announced the directive in a statement on Saturday following the deaths and reported cases of illness in several communities in Odigbo.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Awolowo-Ajaka, had earlier confirmed that 29 people had died after consuming a suspected contaminated alcoholic drink, while 60 suspected cases had been recorded.

Ajaka said three of the affected persons were receiving treatment in hospitals, while 27 others were under medical observation.

According to him, 95 per cent of those affected were males aged between 16 and 55, with cases reported mainly in Orita Odigbo, Araromi-Obu, Newtown, Odole, Okele and Oniparaga communities.

The commissioner listed the symptoms recorded among the victims as headache, body pain, general weakness, visual disturbance, difficulty in breathing and altered consciousness.

He said some of the patients deteriorated rapidly, resulting in death within a few hours.

Ajaka, however, said the government had yet to establish scientifically that the suspected alcoholic drink was responsible for the deaths.

“The pattern of illness and reported history of exposure have raised strong epidemiological suspicion of exposure to a probable toxic alcoholic substance.

“However, we are yet to have laboratory evidence of the cause of the deaths,” he said.

The commissioner said 36 blood and urine samples had been collected from affected persons for laboratory analysis, while samples of the suspected alcoholic substances had also been submitted for toxicological investigations.

Meanwhile, the state government said scientific officers from the Ministry of Health had been deployed to the affected communities to investigate the substance suspected to be responsible for the deaths and determine its exact composition.

The government urged residents to stop purchasing or consuming unverified alcoholic drinks and other substances, particularly products packaged in sachets or bottles without the approval of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control.

It also warned sellers and distributors against purchasing, selling or making available for public consumption any substance whose source, content or regulatory status could not be verified.

“Anyone found violating this directive will face the full wrath of the law,” the government warned.

The government said the directive was aimed at preventing further loss of lives and ensuring that the incident did not spread to other parts of the state.

It urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious products and activities to the relevant authorities.

The government said the directive was part of the efforts of the administration of Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa to unravel the circumstances surrounding the deaths, protect residents and prevent further casualties.

It assured residents that the investigation would continue until the substance responsible for the deaths, if confirmed, was identified.

Nigeria’s crude oil and condensate production rose to 1.68 million barrels per day in August 2026, representing a 0.4 per cent increase from the 1.67 million barrels per day recorded in July.

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission disclosed this in its latest production report released on Sunday.

Excluding condensate, the country produced an average of 1,500,190 barrels of crude oil per day in August, allowing Nigeria to meet its Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries quota for the fourth consecutive month.

Daily combined crude oil and condensate production ranged between 1.64 million barrels and 1.71 million barrels during the month under review.

A breakdown of production by terminals showed that Bonny Terminal recorded the highest output at 320.04 thousand barrels per day, followed by Forcados Terminal with 317.40 thousand barrels per day.

Qua Iboe Terminal recorded an average production of 171.72 thousand barrels per day, while Escravos Oil Terminal posted 131.71 thousand barrels per day.

Bonga ranked fifth among the highest-producing terminals, with an average output of 92.50 thousand barrels per day.

The NUPRC attributed the modest improvement in August production largely to the resolution of operational challenges involving the Single Buoy Mooring at the Erha field.

The commission said the challenges had adversely affected production in the preceding month.

“The restoration of normal evacuation and production operations at the asset contributed positively to overall production volumes during the period under review,” the commission’s spokesperson, Eniola Akinkuotu, said in a statement on Sunday.

The regulator added that production activities across most other producing assets remained relatively stable during the month.

“Production activities across most other producing assets remained relatively stable, with operators sustaining implementation measures aimed at optimising production efficiency, maintaining asset integrity, and minimising operational disruptions,” the statement said.

The latest figures indicate a continued improvement in Nigeria’s oil production, with the country maintaining its OPEC quota compliance for the fourth consecutive month.