A tragic early morning accident on Kingsway Road, Ikoyi , left three young women critically injured , with two suffering severe head trau...
A tragic early morning accident on Kingsway Road, Ikoyi, left three young women critically injured, with two suffering severe head trauma — and a one-hour delay in ambulance response reportedly forced an eyewitness to rush the victims to the General Hospital, Lagos, in his private vehicle.
Agboola Kotun, who witnessed the crash and shared photos on his Facebook page Tuesday morning, decried the sluggish response of Lagos emergency services, calling the situation “very sad.”
“Unfortunately, after one and a half hours of waiting, I had to use my vehicle to convey them to General Hospital, Lagos,” Kotun stated.
“Two of the ladies had very severe head injuries. Time was critical.”
Kotun, who administered first aid at the scene alongside a paramedic, said the accident happened shortly before dawn and described the condition of the victims as life-threatening. Despite promptly calling for help, no ambulance arrived for over an hour.
A Husband’s Race Against Time
The urgency of the situation became more intense when the husband of one of the victims, identified as an American-trained Urologist who recently relocated to Lagos, arrived at the hospital from Arepo in less than 30 minutes.
“He met them at the hospital shortly after we arrived,” Kotun said. “The system nearly failed them, but quick thinking and God’s mercy saved their lives.”
Outrage on Social Media
Kotun’s post quickly went viral, drawing hundreds of comments and shares, with many Nigerians expressing outrage over the poor state of emergency medical response in Lagos.
“Well done brother, Thank you for saving their lives. Almighty God will be there for you whenever you don’t expect anybody,” wrote Omoba Surakat Olabode Oteshade-Eshilokun.
“Thank you once again baba.”
Another Facebook user, Mojisola Allison, added:
“Weldone Doctor. May Allah reward you for saving lives. Lagos State health sector needs serious intervention urgently.”
Afilaka Bidemi, in a comment directed at journalist Babajide Kolade-Otitoju, pleaded for media intervention:
“Please sir, you need to look into this!!!!! We have been raising our voices in recent times. We need those ambulances back on our roads.”
A Broader Healthcare Concern
Many who engaged with the post lamented that the once-functional ambulance system in Lagos under past administrations appears to have deteriorated, with longer wait times and fewer visible emergency units.
While the Lagos State Government has not officially commented on this particular case, the incident has renewed calls for urgent reforms in the state’s emergency response system, particularly in high-risk zones like Ikoyi, Victoria Island, and Lekki.
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