Ondo Herbal Drink Tragedy: Survivor Vows Never to Drink Again as Death Toll Tops 30

A survivor of the suspected herbal drink tragedy in Ondo State has vowed never to drink alcohol again if God saves him, as the number of people reported dead after consuming suspected adulterated locally made alcoholic drinks in parts of Odigbo Local Government Area has risen to more than 30.

The incident has plunged communities including Odigbo town, Newtown, Orita and Araromi-Obu into mourning, with more than 50 other people reportedly receiving treatment in various health facilities.

The exact number of deaths has varied in different official and media updates as health authorities continue to verify cases and investigate the cause of the deaths.

Chairman of Odigbo Local Government Area, Taiwo Adegoroye, confirmed that a man suspected of selling the drink had been arrested and handed over to the police in Akure.

“A suspect alleged to have sold the herbal drink has been arrested and handed over to the police in Akure,” Adegoroye said.

He added that investigations were ongoing to determine the source and composition of the substance consumed by the victims.

According to the council chairman, preliminary findings from medical experts and toxicologists pointed to the consumption of adulterated locally made alcoholic drinks as a possible link to the deaths.

He said the local government sought urgent intervention after he alerted Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, leading to the deployment of a medical team from Akure to the affected communities.

The team, according to Adegoroye, included officials from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The authorities have continued to investigate the precise substance responsible for the deaths and illnesses, with health officials carrying out medical and toxicological examinations.

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Adegoroye said some of the locally made drinks being investigated were known by different names in the communities, including “Jeji” and “Ere”.

He also identified unapproved locally produced alcoholic drinks and substances suspected to contain unsafe forms of ethanol among the products being examined by toxicologists.

The local government has consequently banned the sale and consumption of locally made alcoholic drinks in the affected areas and directed security agencies to arrest and prosecute anyone who violates the order.

The ban followed growing concerns that continued consumption or sale of unregulated alcoholic products could result in additional deaths.

The authorities have also intensified public awareness campaigns, urging residents to avoid unapproved alcoholic drinks, herbal mixtures, concoctions and other substances whose contents and safety cannot be verified.

The Ondo State Government had earlier confirmed that the deaths were being investigated as a possible public-health emergency after several people suddenly became ill and died within a short period.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Ajaka, said preliminary investigations had ruled out some infectious causes, while authorities continued to examine the possibility of toxic substances in drinks consumed by some of the victims.

Health officials have stressed the need to establish the exact cause through laboratory and toxicological investigations rather than relying solely on accounts from residents or relatives.

Authorities have also taken steps to preserve evidence and determine the circumstances surrounding individual deaths.

Meanwhile, one of the survivors of the incident, 32-year-old Shola Adebayo, has recounted how consuming just two shots of a locally made drink known as “Monkey Tail” left him struggling with his eyesight.

Adebayo said a friend brought the drink from Ore, after which they consumed it together.

He said he did not initially realise that anything was seriously wrong but discovered the following day that he could no longer see properly.

“I took Monkey Tail. On Saturday, I discovered I couldn’t see very well, so I called my sister and I was taken to the hospital,” Adebayo said.

He said his condition had started improving after receiving medical treatment but that he was still praying for his eyesight to return fully.

“I’m getting better, but I’m praying for my eyes,” he said.

The experience, he added, had changed his attitude towards alcohol.

“If God saves me, I swear I will never take any drinks again. Even beer, I won’t take,” the survivor pleaded.

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Adebayo’s account has added to concerns over the potential dangers of consuming locally produced alcoholic drinks whose ingredients, concentration and production processes are unknown.

Families of some of those who died have also spoken about the devastating impact of the incident on the affected communities.

A relative of some victims, Adebayo Adetayo Adedeji, said his family and community had lost three young men whom he identified as Leo, Bidemi and Matthew.

He said Bidemi’s death was particularly painful because the young man was not known to have any illness before he suddenly complained of dizziness and died.

Adedeji welcomed the local government’s decision to suspend the sale and consumption of the suspected drinks, saying stronger action was needed to prevent further deaths.

“If they had not banned the drinking or selling of alcohol in the local government, by now Odigbo would have been a death depot,” he said.

The traditional ruler of Odigbo Kingdom, Oba Dr Rufus Akinrimade, also urged residents to be cautious about what they consume.

The monarch dismissed claims that the deaths were caused by a cultural taboo, saying information available to the community pointed towards the consumption of locally made alcoholic substances.

“At the end of the day, we realised it was caused by taking different alcoholic substances, locally made alcohol,” the monarch said.

He urged residents, particularly young people, to establish the source and safety of substances before consuming them.

The incident has prompted renewed calls for tighter regulation of locally produced alcoholic drinks and stronger enforcement against the sale of unapproved beverages.

Authorities have warned that producers and sellers of unapproved or adulterated alcoholic products could face prosecution if investigations establish their involvement.

For now, however, health authorities are continuing to investigate the exact toxic substance, while the arrested suspected seller remains in police custody as the probe progresses.

The Ondo State Government has urged residents of Odigbo and surrounding communities to remain calm, cooperate with investigators and immediately seek medical attention if they experience symptoms after consuming any alcoholic or herbal product.

The government has also advised residents to avoid unapproved drinks and substances until the investigation into the deaths is concluded.

As survivors such as Adebayo continue treatment, the tragedy has left affected communities grappling with grief while authorities work to establish what caused the deaths and prevent a recurrence.

Ondo Herbal Drink Tragedy: Survivor Vows Never to Drink Again as Death Toll Tops 30

Sokoto Cleric Stabbed Twice in Neck After Juma’at Prayer, Attacker Killed

Tension gripped parts of Sokoto metropolis on Friday after an Islamic cleric, Sheikh Musa Ayyuba Lukuwa, was stabbed shortly after leading the Juma’at prayer at his mosque in the Mabera area of the city.

The cleric was reportedly attacked twice in the neck by a young man who was among the worshippers at the mosque.

The incident occurred shortly after the conclusion of the Friday congregational prayer, with sources saying the suspect had been seated among the worshippers, reportedly in one of the front rows, before allegedly moving towards the cleric and attacking him.

The attack caused panic among worshippers, who reportedly overpowered the suspect before beating him to death.

The Sokoto State Police Command confirmed the stabbing and the subsequent death of the suspected attacker.

The command’s spokesperson, DSP Ahmad Rufa’i, said Lukuwa was taken to the Specialist Hospital, Sokoto, where he was receiving medical treatment.

Rufa’i said the suspected attacker was killed by the cleric’s followers after the stabbing.

He added that no arrest had been made in connection with the killing of the suspected attacker but said security measures had been deployed to prevent the situation from escalating.

According to the police spokesman, an investigation was ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the attack and identify those who may have been involved in the ensuing violence.

The stabbing came against the backdrop of an earlier religious controversy involving Lukuwa and allegations of threats to his life.

The dispute reportedly followed a sermon delivered by the cleric in which he cited a Hadith concerning the parents of Prophet Muhammad. Some Islamic scholars and followers associated with the Tariqa order reportedly considered the remarks offensive.

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The disagreement subsequently escalated, with a man identified as Dahiru Mai Barewa allegedly accused of threatening to kill Lukuwa and another Islamic scholar, Malam Murtala Bello Assada.

The alleged threats were reportedly made in videos circulated on social media.

The matter was subsequently reported to the authorities, leading to the arrest and arraignment of Mai Barewa.

A court later ordered that he be remanded in a correctional facility while the case remained pending.

The issue had continued to generate tension in Sokoto in the days before Friday’s attack.

Reports indicated that youths protested in the city over the continued detention of Mai Barewa and demanded his release. The police reportedly arrested about 20 people during the protest and subsequently charged them to court.

The protests further underscored the sensitivity of the religious dispute and the potential for it to trigger unrest in the city.

Four days before Friday’s stabbing, Lukuwa and members of his group reportedly visited the Sokoto State Government House, where they submitted a written complaint concerning the alleged threats and the controversy surrounding the cleric.

The visit was said to have been part of efforts to draw the attention of the state authorities to concerns over the safety of the cleric and his associates.

Friday’s stabbing has now heightened concerns over security in parts of Sokoto, with reports of increased tension following news of the attack.

Some youths were reportedly seen in parts of the metropolis, including the Sahara, Bello Way and Aliyu Jodi areas, while some businesses were said to have closed temporarily amid fears of further violence.

Security personnel were also reportedly deployed to strategic locations to prevent a breakdown of law and order.

The police appealed to residents to remain calm and refrain from taking the law into their own hands.

The command said it was taking steps to maintain peace and prevent the incident from spreading to other parts of the metropolis.

The circumstances surrounding the stabbing, including the motive of the suspected attacker and the events that led to his death after he was overpowered by worshippers, remain subject to police investigation.

The incident has also renewed concerns about the dangers of retaliatory violence, particularly in situations involving sensitive religious disputes.

As of the latest report, Sheikh Musa Ayyuba Lukuwa remained at the Specialist Hospital in Sokoto receiving treatment.

The police have not announced any arrest in connection with the killing of the suspected attacker, while investigations into the entire incident continue.

Sokoto Cleric Stabbed Twice in Neck After Juma’at Prayer, Attacker Killed

Woman disguises as Muslim woman in Niqab to steal in Ado-Ekiti market, video sparks outrage

By Newstrends News Desk

A viral video showing a woman allegedly wearing a Muslim woman’s Niqab as a disguise while attempting to steal at a market in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, has sparked outrage and raised questions over the use of religious attire as a cover for criminal activity.

The woman, identified in the viral Facebook post as Alebiosu Mercy, was reportedly apprehended after she was allegedly caught in connection with theft at Agric Olope Market in Ado-Ekiti.

Alebiosu Mercy

In the video, the woman is seen being interrogated by people who reportedly apprehended her. During the questioning, she allegedly disclosed that she is a member of the Celestial Church of Christ, despite having been dressed in a Niqab at the time of the alleged incident.

The revelation has generated strong reactions, particularly because the Niqab is widely associated with Muslim women and is worn by some Muslim women as part of their religious observance.

‘Why disguise as a Muslim woman?’

The development has raised concerns among some social media users who viewed the incident as an attempt to exploit the appearance of a Muslim woman to conceal an alleged criminal act.

The central question emerging from the video is why a woman who, according to the interrogation shown in the footage, identifies herself as a Celestial Church member would allegedly choose a Niqab as a disguise while committing an offence.

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Some observers argued that such conduct could unfairly reinforce negative stereotypes about Muslim women who wear the Niqab, particularly if members of the public subsequently associate the attire with criminality.

However, Newstrends.ng cannot independently establish the woman’s motive for wearing the Niqab beyond what is shown and allegedly stated in the viral video. Her alleged confession should therefore be treated as part of the claims surrounding the incident until independently confirmed by law-enforcement authorities.

Video fuels religious controversy

The incident has quickly moved beyond an alleged market theft case, with social media users debating the religious dimension of the woman’s choice of clothing.

For many Muslims, the Niqab is a religious form of modest dress, and its use as an alleged disguise for criminal activity has been described by some commentators as particularly disturbing.

At the same time, it is important not to allow the alleged conduct of one individual to become a basis for branding an entire religious community or women who wear the Niqab as criminals.

The alleged offence is an individual matter, and the religious identity of the suspect does not establish the character or conduct of Muslim women generally.

Police confirmation still awaited

As of the time of filing this report, there was no verified statement from the Ekiti State Police Command specifically confirming the arrest of the woman, the alleged theft at Agric Olope Market or the circumstances surrounding the viral video.

It is also unclear whether the woman was subsequently handed over to the police or whether formal charges have been filed against her.

Newstrends.ng could not independently verify all the claims contained in the social media video and therefore urges caution in drawing conclusions beyond what can be established.

Nevertheless, the video has generated significant public interest because of the allegation that religious attire associated with Muslim women was allegedly used as a disguise during a suspected theft incident.

The development also underscores the dangers of using religious identity or appearance to conceal criminal conduct, as such actions can have consequences far beyond the individual involved and potentially fuel unnecessary tension between religious communities.

Newstrends.ng will update this report if the Ekiti State Police Command or other credible authorities provide an official account of the incident.

Woman disguises as Muslim woman in Niqab to steal in Ado-Ekiti market, video sparks outrage