The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has expressed strong commendation for the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jabi, Abuja, over its swift disciplinary response to an incident involving alleged negligence by its personnel in handling a road crash victim.
FRSC Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, made the commendation public through a statement released in Abuja on Tuesday by the Corps Public Education Officer, Assistant Corps Marshal Olusegun Ogungbemide. The statement followed public outrage triggered by a viral video showing a good Samaritan lamenting the refusal of hospital staff to promptly attend to accident victims he had conveyed to the medical facility.
According to the video that gained wide attention across social media platforms, medical staff allegedly declined to offer emergency care to the injured individuals, with one staff member reportedly citing the unavailability of gloves as a reason for inaction. The video drew strong condemnation from the public and sparked demands for accountability in the healthcare sector.
Following the incident, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Tunji Alausa, directed that a thorough investigation be carried out to establish the facts. The Federal Medical Centre subsequently confirmed that an internal inquiry was underway, with eight staff members, comprising four doctors, two nurses, and two ward attendants, placed under formal investigation for their roles in the matter.
Speaking on the development, the FRSC Corps Marshal underscored the critical importance of timely and effective emergency care in preventing avoidable fatalities from road traffic crashes. He emphasized that delay or negligence in attending to crash victims undermines the broader efforts of rescue agencies and often results in needless loss of life.
Mohammed decried the persistent trend of hospitals turning away road accident victims brought in by FRSC operatives or well-meaning Nigerians, citing that such actions contravene the National Road Traffic Regulations. He reminded healthcare providers that the law strictly prohibits the rejection of crash victims and provides sanctions for any professional conduct that obstructs life-saving procedures.
He further called on medical institutions and professionals nationwide to recommit themselves to upholding the highest standards of service delivery, especially in critical emergencies. According to him, the collaborative efforts of all stakeholders — including healthcare workers, road safety officials, and the general public, are crucial to reducing crash-related deaths and improving emergency response outcomes.
The Corps Marshal also seized the opportunity to commend the patriotic Nigerian who transported the victims to the hospital without hesitation. He described the individual’s act as a true display of national solidarity and civic responsibility, urging other citizens to emulate such courage and compassion.
Mohammed reaffirmed the FRSC’s unwavering commitment to building stronger synergy with medical institutions, government agencies, and community actors in order to safeguard lives and enhance the nation’s emergency response framework. He maintained that through collective effort, Nigeria can drastically reduce the number of crash fatalities and build a more responsive and humane emergency care system.
