By Passman Akpos
A viral video showing traders mixing industrial dye into palm oil has ignited a wave of outrage across Nigeria, with health professionals condemning the act as nothing short of “slow murder.”
The disturbing footage, widely circulated on social media over the weekend, shows individuals pouring a powdered colouring agent into buckets of palm oil, stirring vigorously to achieve a richer red hue—before packaging it for unsuspecting consumers.
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Public health experts say the practice could have catastrophic long-term consequences. According to them, the chemical dyes often used to enhance colour in palm oil contain toxins associated with kidney failure, liver damage, and aggressive cancers.
“This is slow murder,” one nutrition consultant said while analysing the viral clip. “Palm oil adulterated with dyes is poisonous. Consumers may not see immediate symptoms, but over time it destroys internal organs. It is a silent killer.”
Angry Nigerians also took to social media, demanding swift government action. Many called for the arrest of those involved, urging food safety regulators to clamp down on the widespread adulteration of food products in local markets.
“This is wickedness. People are buying this for cooking, for their families—children included,” one user lamented. “These traders are killing people gradually.”
Food adulteration—particularly of palm oil, cooking oil, and ground pepper—has been an escalating public health concern nationwide. Health campaigners are now urging authorities to intensify market surveillance, prosecute offenders, and introduce stricter penalties to deter further abuse.
As the uproar grows, experts warn Nigerians to be vigilant, advising them to purchase palm oil only from trusted sources and look out for signs of chemical tampering—including unnatural brightness, hard odour, or residue at the bottom of containers.
“This must be treated as a national emergency,” another healthcare worker emphasised. “Our people deserve safe food, not poison disguised as palm oil.”
