The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has warned the public not to consume or sell groundnut oil recovered from the scene of a tanker crash at Ojota Bridge, near Abiola Garden, on the inward approach to Old Toll Gate, Lagos. The agency said the oil may be contaminated or pose a public health risk.
The crash involved a tanker carrying 33,000 litres of groundnut oil. The vehicle overturned, blocking the entire carriageway and causing significant traffic disruption along the route.
Preliminary security reports indicate that suspected brake failure may have caused the accident. LASTMA responded to support rescue and recovery operations and manage traffic.
Demonstrating its operational preparedness and unwavering commitment to safeguarding lives and property, LASTMA promptly deployed its Rescue and Recovery Team, supported by two high-capacity tow vehicles, to evacuate the overturned tanker and restore traffic circulation. Traffic management personnel were strategically positioned to coordinate vehicular movement, implement appropriate diversionary measures and mitigate the consequential congestion.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed grave concern over reports that some individuals had resorted to scooping the spilt groundnut oil from road surfaces, drainage channels and other exposed locations.
He warned that such indiscriminate collection and subsequent consumption or commercial distribution could pose a serious public health risk, given the possibility of contamination from road debris, environmental pollutants, drainage effluents, and other potentially hazardous substances.
Bakare-Oki consequently urged residents, traders, food vendors and other members of the public to refrain from consuming or selling the recovered oil. He stressed that the temptation to salvage spilt commodities must never outweigh the imperative of protecting public health, warning that consuming contaminated edible oil could expose unsuspecting individuals to avoidable health complications.
Other responders at the scene included personnel of the Nigerian Police Force, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Agency. Their coordinated intervention complemented LASTMA’s traffic management operations and supported efforts to address the incident's immediate consequences.
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