LASTMA Warns Lagos Residents Against Consuming Groundnut Oil From Ojota Tanker Crash
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has warned residents, traders and food vendors against consuming or selling groundnut oil recovered from an overturned tanker near Ojota Bridge, Lagos, citing potential health risks associated with contamination.
The warning followed a viral video showing residents and passersby scooping spilled groundnut oil into containers and bowls from the accident scene, while police officers and LASTMA officials were present.
The tanker, which was conveying 33,000 litres of groundnut oil, reportedly overturned around Abiola Garden, inward the Old Toll Gate, near Ojota Bridge, spilling its contents onto the road and disrupting traffic along the busy corridor.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, LASTMA said the oil collected from the road surface, drainage channels and other exposed areas could have been contaminated by road debris, environmental pollutants and drainage effluents.
The agency’s General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed concern over reports that people were collecting the spilled commodity for possible consumption or commercial distribution.
He cautioned that the recovery, consumption or sale of the oil could expose unsuspecting members of the public to serious health risks.
Bakare-Oki urged residents, traders and food vendors to prioritise public health and safety over the desire to salvage the spilled product, stressing that edible oil recovered from an accident scene should not be consumed or sold.
The warning followed footage published by SaharaReporters showing several people arriving at the scene with containers and other receptacles to collect the oil, despite the presence of security and traffic management personnel.
A passerby was heard in the video expressing frustration over the apparent failure of the officials at the scene to stop the activity.
Meanwhile, LASTMA disclosed that preliminary security reports attributed the accident to suspected brake failure.
According to the agency, the overturned tanker completely obstructed the carriageway, resulting in significant traffic disruption along the Ojota corridor.
LASTMA said its rescue and recovery team was deployed to the scene alongside two high-capacity tow vehicles to facilitate the removal of the tanker and restore normal traffic flow.
Traffic management personnel were also stationed in the area to control vehicular movement and implement diversionary measures to ease congestion.
Other agencies involved in the emergency response included the Nigeria Police Force, the Federal Road Safety Corps, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Agency.
The agency had earlier confirmed that no casualties were recorded in the incident, although traffic remained heavy around the affected area.
It added that the road had been cordoned off while recovery operations continued to ensure public safety.
LASTMA reiterated its appeal to members of the public to avoid consuming or selling groundnut oil collected from the accident scene, warning that potentially contaminated food products could pose avoidable health risks.
