Ogun ambulance crash response comes under scrutiny as the government says responders reached the Saapade accident scene within 10 minutes.
The central issue is the difference between when the accident was reported to emergency services and how long Kunle Afod had been at the scene. The actor said he had waited about 20 minutes without seeing an ambulance, while the Ogun Government says the accident was reported at 12:18pm and responders arrived at 12:28pm.
Those accounts should be presented separately rather than treated as proof that either side’s timeline is false.
The Ogun State Government has defended its emergency response to a road accident at Saapade, along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, saying an ambulance and Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) personnel arrived at the scene 10 minutes after the incident was reported.
The government’s position contradicts Nollywood actor Kunle Afod’s account that he spent about 20 minutes at the scene without seeing an ambulance or emergency responders.
Afod had raised the alarm in a video shared on Instagram on Friday, November 6, appealing to the Ogun State Government, the FRSC and other emergency agencies to assist injured victims. He described the situation as distressing and questioned the absence of rescue personnel.
In a statement issued on Saturday, November 7, the Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to Governor Dapo Abiodun, Kayode Akinmade, said a passer-by reported the accident at the FRSC point in Ogere at 12:18pm.
According to the government, the state ambulance and FRSC personnel arrived at the scene at 12:28pm.
It explained that responders had to navigate the expressway and turn to the opposite carriageway to reach the accident location at Saapade.
The government said the Ogun State Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System (OGSAES) responded promptly and helped save lives.
It also disclosed that six ambulance points were located between OPIC and Ogunmakin along the expressway, adding that its emergency call centre had not received a distress call from the affected area.
The statement further said the police and the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE) participated in the rescue operation.
According to the government, victims were initially taken to Victory Hospital, Ogere, while those with more serious injuries were transported by the state ambulance to the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu.
However, a separate accident report issued by TRACE and published by The Punch gave another timeline. It stated that rescue teams from TRACE and the FRSC reached the scene by 12:48pm. The report said the crash occurred at about 12:30pm.
The TRACE report identified the vehicle as a Mazda bus carrying 18 occupants. It said a tyre burst caused the driver to lose control before the bus overturned and struck a concrete barrier.
Thirteen people, comprising two men, eight women and three children, sustained injuries. No deaths were recorded, while the victims were taken to three hospitals for medical attention. Four of those taken to Isara General Hospital were later treated and discharged at their request, according to the report.
The Ogun Government also criticised Afod’s comments, accusing him of politicising the accident and attempting to portray the Abiodun administration negatively.
It alleged that the actor had previously produced campaign content for Ladi Adebutu, the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in the state, and suggested that his comments were politically motivated.
The government acknowledged Afod’s right to support any political candidate but maintained that partisan considerations should not influence comments about an incident involving injured people.
“It is unfortunate that a partisan Nollywood actor chose to peddle falsehood out of spite, making a mockery of the respected industry he represents,” the statement said.
Akinmade added that the administration would not be distracted by what it described as attempts to discredit its emergency response system.
The government also expressed sympathy to the families of those affected and wished the injured victims a speedy recovery.
It urged motorists to observe traffic regulations, avoid excessive speeding and dangerous overtaking, and ensure their vehicles were roadworthy.
The statement provided the state emergency contact number as 08112000033. It also clarified that the national emergency number 112 was not yet operational in Ogun State, saying efforts to activate the service were still ongoing with the Nigerian Communications Commission.
The differing timelines in the government’s statement and the TRACE report leave questions about the precise sequence of the emergency response.
While the government maintains that its ambulance arrived 10 minutes after the accident was reported, the TRACE account places the arrival of rescue teams at 12:48pm, following a crash it says occurred around 12:30pm.
