TheCable

Four days after the Rivers state government banned the consumption of locally made gin, popularly called Ogogoro, as a result of the death of 38 persons in the state, the federal government has warned against the consumption of the drink.

Paul Orhii, director-general of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), made the announcement at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday.

Abdulsalami Nasidi, national coordinator of the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC), also attended the briefing where Orhii said the gin had turned out to be deadly as a result of its toxic contents.

“The public should desist from the consumption of unregistered locally made spirits (Ogogoro) and other unregistered bitters,” he said.

“The government will confiscate all illegally brewed alcoholic beverages across the country.

“Preliminary investigation by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and World Health Organisation (WHO) ruled out any infectious diseases and confirmed the possibility of poisoning as the cause and in turn advised NAFDAC to conduct further investigation.

“The symptoms suffered by victims included vomiting, abdominal pain, blurred vision, headache,  dizziness and loss of consciousness with subsequent sudden deaths of 18 victims.”

Orhii said through laboratory analysis, it has been discovered that the drink is unfit for human consumption.

“Results of the laboratory investigation revealed methanol toxicity. Five samples were found to contain high concentration of methanol (Ogogoro) which is unwholesome and unfit for human consumption,” he said.

“Blood methanol concentration above 1500-2000mg/L will certainly lead to dead in untreated patients.”

On his part, Nasidi said NCDC has been collaborating with NAFDAC to stop the illegal production of local gin in the country.

“We are working to combine force with NAFDAC to launch an attack on these people. We will immediately confiscate their products,” he said.

“All locally produced methanol must be checked before releasing it to the public. We need to sensitize Nigerians on the need to beware of the locally brewed gin.”