The recent accident involving Anthony Joshua has once again exposed the frightening fragility of life on Nigerian highways. Beyond the shock surrounding a global sports icon, the incident has reopened a painful national conversation about road safety, emergency response, and the glaring absence of systems designed to save lives when accidents occur. What should have been a routine emergency response instead revealed a deeper institutional failure that affects millions of ordinary Nigerians every day.
In Nigeria, where thousands of individuals own private jets and fly luxury aircraft across continents, it is deeply troubling that the Federal Road Safety Corps has no helicopter for emergency evacuation. Many of these aircraft owners cannot convincingly explain the sources of their wealth, have never paid commensurate income taxes, and often fall short of meeting basic statutory obligations on their aircraft. Yet, when lives hang in the balance on our highways, there is no rapid aerial response to evacuate critically injured victims.
Instead, Nigerians are told, sometimes with misplaced pride, that FRSC officers arrived at accident scenes on foot. This raises a fundamental question. How are victims to be rescued or administered first aid in life threatening situations without proper equipment or rapid evacuation capability. Good intentions alone cannot stop bleeding, stabilize spinal injuries, or transport victims to trauma centres within the golden hour that often determines survival. The Anthony Joshua accident could easily have ended far worse, and it highlights just how exposed ordinary Nigerians are whenever they travel on our roads.
The data paints a grim picture. In 2024 alone, Nigeria recorded over 5,400 road traffic deaths from more than 9,500 crashes, representing an increase from the previous year. In the first nine months of 2025, official figures already showed nearly 4,000 deaths and close to 25,000 injuries from road crashes. With an estimated 21 deaths per 100,000 people, Nigeria remains one of the deadliest countries in Africa to drive in. These are not just numbers. They represent families destroyed, breadwinners lost, and futures abruptly cut short.
This reality stands in sharp contrast to countries like South Africa, where helicopters are routinely deployed by emergency medical services, security agencies, and rescue teams. While no system is perfect and South Africa still records thousands of road deaths annually, there is a clear institutional commitment to rapid response, trauma care, and coordinated emergency services. The presence of medical helicopters and structured first responder systems sends a powerful message that time matters and that lives are worth saving.
In Nigeria, the absence of such capacity is compounded by the conduct of many officers on our highways. Motorists with roadworthy vehicles are often harassed and victimized, while trucks and commercial vehicles that should be confined to junkyards are allowed to ply the roads unchecked. These vehicles emit thick carbon monoxide smoke, have faulty brakes, worn tyres, and pose enormous risks, yet they are frequently ignored.
The condition of the highways themselves adds to the danger. Many major roads are poorly marked, lack reflective signage, and offer little guidance during bad weather or at night. Drivers with poor judgment often occupy the middle of the road, increasing the likelihood of head on collisions.
Rather than actively patrolling to prevent accidents, FRSC officers are often stationed at fixed points, not to enhance safety, but to collect illegal tolls. In some cases, motorists are even asked to buy fuel for patrol vehicles after being arrested, a disturbing reflection of institutional decay.
The arrest process itself has become a source of extortion and humiliation. Tyres are deliberately deflated, and even after release, motorists are forced to patronize roadside vulcanisers positioned nearby, paying rates several times higher than normal. Faced with delays, harassment, and excessive penalties at FRSC yards, many Nigerians resort to bribery simply to avoid losing valuable time and dignity.
The Anthony Joshua accident should not be treated as an isolated incident involving a celebrity. It is a mirror reflecting the daily risks faced by millions of Nigerians who have no access to timely emergency care when accidents occur.
What Nigeria needs is a fundamental shift in priorities. Emergency medical evacuation must become a national responsibility, supported by modern equipment, trained personnel, and proper funding. Enforcement should focus on safety, not extortion, and officers should be limited to issuing tickets rather than wielding unchecked arrest powers. Road infrastructure must be improved with proper markings, lighting, and signage, while vehicle inspections must be enforced fairly and transparently, especially for commercial vehicles.
Every life lost on Nigeria’s roads is a tragedy. Every preventable death is a failure of leadership and policy. If the accident involving Anthony Joshua does not awaken the nation to the urgent need for reform, then it will simply join the long list of moments when Nigeria had a chance to change course and chose instead to look away.
By Bola Babarinde
