For many Nigerians, emergency numbers are often viewed with scepticism, as many believe help rarely arrives when it is needed most. However, for one family in Badagry, Lagos State, a frightening medical emergency became a powerful testimony to what an effective public emergency response system can achieve.
In the early hours of the morning, at about 3:20 a.m., a seven-month-old baby girl developed a dangerously high fever after battling a rising temperature for two days. When her parents checked her temperature, it had climbed to 38.5°C. Outside, heavy rain continued to pour, making it nearly impossible to leave their home. Without a private vehicle and with commercial transportation unavailable at that hour, they feared the worst.
While trying to reduce the baby’s temperature by gently wiping her body with a wet towel, her father remembered the Lagos State emergency number, 112.
At approximately 4:07 a.m., he placed the call.
The emergency operator responded calmly and professionally, listening attentively as he explained the baby’s condition. After obtaining the family’s address and a nearby landmark, the emergency response process began immediately.
Within minutes, another officer from the Lagos Emergency Response Call Centre contacted the family to confirm that an ambulance had already been dispatched. Because of the darkness and the heavy rainfall, the officer sought additional directions to ensure the emergency team could locate them.
By about 5:07 a.m., after the rain had subsided, the family received another call informing them that the ambulance was waiting at Checkpoint Bus Stop. The family quickly made their way there on a motorcycle, where they found the emergency team already waiting.
The medical personnel immediately assessed the baby’s condition and recommended that she be taken to General Hospital, Badagry, since the nearby Primary Health Centre at Ilepo was not operating as a 24-hour facility.
What impressed the family most was the commitment shown by the emergency responders. The ambulance had travelled roughly 24 kilometres from General Hospital, Badagry, simply to respond to a distress call involving a single infant.
The swift response demonstrated that Lagos State’s emergency management system is not merely an institution on paper but one capable of delivering life-saving assistance when citizens need it most.
Much of the credit for building such a responsive emergency management system belongs to Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, whose administration has continued to strengthen healthcare and emergency response infrastructure across the state.
Equally deserving of commendation is the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr. Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, whose visionary leadership has transformed LASEMA into one of Nigeria’s most respected emergency management agencies. Through years of strategic reforms, investment in emergency preparedness, continuous personnel training, inter-agency coordination and public awareness, Dr. Oke-Osanyintolu has helped build an emergency response system that consistently demonstrates professionalism, speed and compassion.
The family’s experience is a practical example of the impact of that leadership. The emergency call was answered promptly. Communication with the family remained consistent throughout the operation. The ambulance arrived despite difficult weather conditions, and the medical team displayed empathy and professionalism from the point of pickup until the patient arrived safely at the hospital.
Upon arrival at General Hospital, Badagry, the baby received immediate medical attention. Although the family paid ₦2,000 to open a new patient file because records from the Primary Health Centre could not be accessed, there were no consultation fees or ambulance charges. The attending doctor promptly requested a Full Blood Count (FBC) and malaria test, while prescribed medications and injections were obtained from the hospital pharmacy.
The family also expressed satisfaction with the cleanliness of General Hospital, Badagry, describing the facility as neat, organised and staffed by dedicated healthcare professionals working tirelessly to provide quality care.
Their experience further highlighted the importance of ongoing investments in infrastructure. The reconstructed Lagos-Badagry Expressway enabled the ambulance to move quickly, demonstrating how quality roads contribute directly to faster emergency response and better healthcare outcomes.
The family acknowledged the contributions of former President Muhammadu Buhari for initiating sections of the Lagos-Badagry road reconstruction, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for sustaining the project, and Governor Sanwo-Olu for continuing infrastructure improvements within Badagry and around the General Hospital.
While expressing gratitude, the family also appealed to the Lagos State Government to reconstruct the Ibiye–Checkpoint–Magbon Road, noting that its poor condition prevented the ambulance from reaching their residence during the heavy rainfall. They also called for the upgrading of the Ilepo Primary Health Centre into a 24-hour facility, the recruitment of additional doctors for General Hospital, Badagry, improved electricity supply within the community, and the implementation of a unified electronic medical records system across Lagos State government hospitals.
The family equally appreciated Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (Yayi) for facilitating the donation of an ambulance to General Hospital, Badagry, noting that the vehicle is already making a tangible difference by responding to emergencies and saving lives.
Beyond one family’s story, the incident offers a broader lesson about governance. Effective public institutions earn public confidence not through promises but through timely action, professionalism and visible results.
For this family, one emergency call changed their perception of government service forever. It demonstrated that under the leadership of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and with the dedicated stewardship of Dr. Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, LASEMA has become a model of responsive emergency management in Nigeria.
When every second mattered, the system worked, and a family found hope in the reassuring sound of an ambulance arriving to answer their call.
