Get Guardian on GoogleThe roadside has reportedly abandoned a deaf young man with both legs broken for four days after being knocked down by a vehicle allegedly driven by a woman claiming to be a police officer in Osogbo, Osun State.
The incident, which has sparked outrage among residents, occurred around the Stadium area of the state capital. The victim was reportedly left a few metres from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) headquarters at Onibueja, without food, water, shelter or medical attention.
It was gathered that the driver, after hitting the victim in what was described as a hit-and-run incident, invited an ambulance to convey him for medical treatment.
However, rather than taking him to a hospital, the ambulance allegedly dumped him by the roadside, where he remained for about four days.
The victim’s deafness has further complicated efforts to identify him, as he cannot speak or provide information about himself or his family.
A radio station owner in Osun State, Adedayo Oderinu, raised the alarm in a Facebook post and on his radio programme, calling for urgent intervention to save the young man’s life.
Expressing concern over the victim’s condition, Oderinu said the young man had sustained fractures in both legs but could not provide details of his identity because of his disability.
“I have a major problem on my hands and I am unsure of how to proceed. The victim, a deaf young man, had both his legs broken in the accident, but is unable to give details due to his disability,” he wrote.
He lamented that the ongoing strike by public hospital workers in the state had made it difficult to secure urgent medical attention for the victim.
“As we speak, the guy is still there, after about four days without food, shelter, or water, and left to a very harsh fate,” he added.
The broadcaster warned that the prolonged absence of medical attention could have serious consequences for the victim, including the possible loss of the use of his legs.
“How do we get this guy into a hospital when state hospitals are on strike? If we get him into any hospital, the fact that he has spent so much time without care may mean he has lost the use of those legs. If the legs are amputated, how does he survive?” he asked.
Oderinu also questioned who would take responsibility for the victim’s welfare, particularly if his condition required long-term care and rehabilitation.
“Since the guy can’t talk, who takes responsibility for him going forward, if we ever get him care? Government support is his best bet, but can we ever get him government support, and quick?” he queried.
He condemned the alleged conduct of the driver, expressing hope that those responsible would face the consequences of their actions.
In a subsequent update at about 10:20 p.m. on Wednesday, Oderinu disclosed that the victim had finally been moved from the roadside with the assistance of the police.
“We finally got him moved from there with the help of the Police. Now, we hope we can get him into a government hospital,” he said.
The incident has renewed concerns about the treatment of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Osun State and across Nigeria, particularly their vulnerability to neglect, discrimination and denial of access to essential services.
Residents who reacted to Oderinu’s appeal called on the state government and relevant agencies to intervene urgently and ensure the victim receives appropriate medical attention.
One of them, Odebode Isaiah Abisola, appealed to the Executive Secretary of the Osun State Bureau of Persons with Disabilities, Ayobami Oyetunde, and the NSCDC Disability Desk Officer in the state to facilitate immediate assistance.
“I respectfully urge ES Ayobami Oyetunde of the Osun State Bureau of Persons with Disabilities and the NSCDC Disability Desk Officer, Osun State, to urgently intervene and ensure this young deaf man receives immediate medical attention and necessary support,” Abisola wrote.
He stressed that beyond medical treatment, the victim needed protection, rehabilitation and long-term assistance, warning that his disability should never become a reason for abandonment.
Stakeholders have also urged the Osun State Ministry of Social Needs, the Bureau of Persons with Disabilities, the Ministry of Health, the NSCDC and the state Police Command to intervene.
They called for immediate emergency medical care, including the option of transferring the victim to a private hospital at government expense while the public hospital strike persists.
Other urgent needs identified include feeding, temporary shelter, sign-language interpretation and efforts to establish his identity and trace his family.
They further demanded an investigation into the alleged conduct of the driver and the ambulance crew accused of abandoning the accident victim, insisting that those found culpable should be held accountable.
