*Nigeria鈥檚 National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control seizes three petrol tankers conveying edible vegetable oil in Lagos State, warning consumers against potential health risks due to chemical contamination from oil tankers used for transporting petroleum products

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

In view of the potential health risks to unwary consumers due to chemical contamination from the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, petrol, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has seized three petrol tankers conveying edible vegetable oil in Lagos State.

绿帽献妻 reports the health regulatory agency, which disclosed this development Wednesday, August 21, 2024, via a post on its verified X account, said the oil had reportedly been trans-loaded into the tankers from an edible oil depot in the country.

A NAFDAC official, in an attached video showing one of the seized tankers, affirmed credible information revealed that the same oil tankers used to load edible vegetable oil had earlier been used to load petroleum products.

The agency also stated: 鈥淐oncerned about the potential health risks due to chemical contamination from the tankers鈥� previous use for transporting petrol, NAFDAC officials escorted the tankers to a processing facility in Sango-Ota (in Ogun State, South-West Nigeria).

鈥淭he crude soy oil was then handed over to the Southwest Zonal Office of NAFDAC for further regulatory action.鈥�

鈥淭his is a public health issue that requires NAFDAC鈥檚 attention. That was why we immediately went to that area and we caught a truck being loaded,鈥� the official stated.

The NAFDAC official equally stated that the tankers could not load vegetable oil 鈥渁nd at the same time, we are seeing tags of petrol and diesel on them.鈥�

According to him, the regulatory agency had arrested the suspects and seized the oil trucks for further investigation.

He disclosed the investigation would inform the suspects of 鈥渢he dangers inherent in mixing petroleum products, which we know are carcinogenic, not safe for human consumption鈥�.

It is noted that Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Director-General of NAFDAC, has established a committee to develop guidelines and a code of ethics for the marketing and distribution of edible vegetable oils in the West African country.

The health regulator, therefore, urged the general public to report any suspicious or unwholesome practices related to food and regulated products in Nigeria.