Hypo not for drinking, firm frowns against dangerous trend

Hypo Bleach manufactured by Multi Enterprise Limited, has warned Nigerians against consuming bleach for social media trends, following a viral controversy involving content creator King Mitchy and Influencer VeryDarkMan.

In a Sunday statement issued by the Marketing Manager, Adebayo Adeyemo, the company stressed that its product is strictly for cleaning purposes and not for consumption under any circumstance.

“Hypo Bleach, Nigeria’s number one bleach brand, is formulated to remove stains, whiten your white fabric, deodorize and kill 99.9% of germs. It is not a drink.

“It is not something to consume for the sake of trends,” the statement read.

The company said it had observed videos and AI-generated images circulating online portraying Hypo as a beverage, describing the content as fabricated and dangerous.

“We want to be unambiguous: those images are fabricated, that framing is false, and anyone encouraging others to consume Hypo, even as a joke, even for views, is putting lives at risk,” the company stated.

Hypo also appealed directly to influencers, bloggers and content creators to act responsibly.

“To every influencer, blogger, and content creator: Your reach is real. So is your responsibility. A trend that ends in ill-health is not a trend worth starting.”

Addressing young Nigerians, the company added, “You do not have to prove anything to anyone. Not online. Not offline. Not ever. If someone is pressuring you to try this, that is not a dare. That is harm.”

“Let’s keep social media fun, but safe,” the statement concluded, using the hashtag #HypoForASaferTomorrow.

The warning comes after a heated online dispute between social media influencers King Mitchy and VeryDarkMan escalated in recent days.

The disagreement reportedly began after Mitchy criticised VDM over school renovation projects, claiming she had renovated a school within six days and challenging him to provide N50 million to renovate four schools.

She also alleged that VDM questioned the source of funds for her business and made inappropriate insinuations about her conduct.

In a bid to defend her reputation, Mitchy shared a WhatsApp screenshot of a conversation with the Ooni of Ife, who allegedly commended her for her efforts.

The feud took a dramatic turn during a TikTok livestream when Mitchy appeared to drink a substance alleged to be bleach, sparking widespread panic and reports that she had taken her own life.

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Social media was flooded with speculation before her management later retracted that she was dead, after publishing that she died of suicide.

The situation further escalated when VDM was seen in a separate video taking a substance from a Hypo sachet in what many interpreted as a response to the trend.

Since then, several online content creators have reportedly mimicked the act in skits and videos, using Hypo sachets to simulate suicide attempts, drawing strong reactions from parents, activists and concerned Nigerians.

Many have described the trend as disturbing and dangerous, calling on authorities to penalise those promoting such content due to the potential influence on younger social media users.