Chinaza Anagwu
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority has warned residents and traders against consuming or selling groundnut oil recovered from a tanker that overturned at Ojota Bridge in Lagos.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the 33,000-litre tanker overturned around Abiola Garden, inward Old Toll Gate, on Wednesday, causing traffic congestion and obstructing the road.
In a statement signed by the Director of LASTMA’s Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, Adebayo Taofiq, the agency said preliminary reports indicated that brake failure might have caused the accident.
Although no casualties were recorded, LASTMA said it deployed a rescue team and two tow vehicles to remove the tanker and ease traffic congestion in the area.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed concern over reports that some people were scooping the spilled oil from the road and drainage channels.
He warned that the oil might have been contaminated by dirt, road debris and other harmful substances, making it unsafe for human consumption.
Bakare-Oki urged residents, traders and food vendors to refrain from consuming or selling the recovered oil, warning that doing so could pose serious health risks.
Other agencies involved in the 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.
LASTMA said the agencies collaborated to manage traffic and support the recovery operation.
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Contact: health_wise@punchng.
