Nigerian state bans local gin after four more die

Nigeria’s Ondo State government has banned the sale and consumption of local gin after the death toll from a contaminated batch of the spirit reached 22.

The government is still awaiting the result of gin samples which were taken for testing on Saturday

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Dayo Adeyanju, told AllAfrica that an investigation had revealed victims consumed the local gin – which had been contaminated with toxic substance methanol – at a particular bar,

The gin, locally known as Ogogoro, is believed to be the cause of the deaths of 18 men who were aged between 22 and 75, and died within four days of each other last week in Irele.

The state’s government is still awaiting the result of gin samples which were taken for testing on Saturday.

Caretaker chairman of Irele LG, Elder Oladele Olatunji has revealed that an additional four people died on Sunday after consuming the gin.
There are reportedly an additional seven people who have been hospitalised for treatment.

Each victim suffered from symptoms such as headaches, blurred vision, blindness, and loss of speech before they died.