The Ogun State Government has challenged Nollywood actor Kunle Afod’s claim that victims of a road accident at Saapade, along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, waited about 20 minutes before receiving emergency assistance.
Titiansloaded reports that the government said its ambulance team and Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) officials reached the scene 10 minutes after the accident was reported.
Afod had shared a video alleging that emergency responders failed to arrive promptly, leaving victims without assistance for approximately 20 minutes.
In a statement released on Saturday, Governor Dapo Abiodun’s Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, said the accident was reported to emergency personnel at 12:18 p.m., while responders arrived at 12:28 p.m.
Akinmade explained that a passerby alerted officials at the FRSC station in Ogere, where a state ambulance was stationed. The report, he said, prompted an immediate response.
He added that the emergency team had to navigate the expressway and cross to the other carriageway before reaching the accident location in Saapade.
The government maintained that the Ogun State Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System (OGSAES) acted promptly and assisted in rescuing the victims.
It also disclosed that six ambulance stations had been established along the expressway between OPIC and Ogunmakin. According to the statement, the state emergency call centre did not receive a distress call about the particular incident.
The police and the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE) were also involved in the rescue operation.
The victims were initially taken to Victory Hospital in Ogere, while those requiring more specialised treatment were conveyed by the state ambulance to Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu.
While sympathising with the affected families and wishing the injured a quick recovery, the government accused Afod of giving a misleading account of the incident for political reasons.
Akinmade alleged that the actor supported the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu, and had recently produced a campaign video for him.
The government said Afod was free to support any political party but insisted that political affiliations should not influence reports about an accident involving injured people.
It described the actor’s claims as false and politically motivated, arguing that they could create a misleading impression about the state’s emergency response services.
“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 further rejected what he described as an attempt to turn the victims’ suffering into a political issue, adding that the administration would remain focused on improving emergency response operations.
The government also appealed to motorists to obey traffic rules and exercise caution on highways, warning against speeding, dangerous overtaking and reckless driving.
Drivers were advised to keep their vehicles in good condition and comply with road safety instructions issued by the FRSC.
Reiterating the state’s commitment to road safety, Akinmade urged residents to report emergencies through the dedicated telephone line, 08112000033.
The statement clarified that the national emergency number 112 was not yet operational in Ogun State, despite the government’s efforts to activate the service, because the Nigerian Communications Commission had yet to make it functional in the state.
