Nollywood actor Kunle Afod has raised concerns over the alleged absence of emergency responders at the scene of a road accident involving several people at Shapade, along the Ibadan–Shagamu Expressway in Ogun State.

Afod, in a video shared on his Instagram page on Friday, appealed to the Ogun State Government, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and other emergency agencies to urgently dispatch rescue teams to the scene, claiming that no ambulance had arrived about 20 minutes after he encountered the accident.

Describing the situation as distressing, the actor said several victims were lying helplessly at the scene while efforts to contact emergency responders had reportedly failed to yield assistance.

“It’s a terrible accident we came across on the way along the Ibadan–Shagamu Expressway right now, and it’s so sad that for about 20 minutes that we’ve been here there has been no ambulance, no emergency services to come and help them,” he said.

Afod, who showed the accident scene in the video, expressed frustration over what he described as the lack of an immediate emergency response.

He said repeated attempts to reach emergency workers had not produced any assistance, while other motorists were allegedly not stopping to help the victims.

“Nobody, we’ve been trying to call emergency workers to come and help them. See people lying down helplessly. You can see them, you can see the car behind me, the bus behind me now,” he said.

Questioning the absence of rescue personnel, the actor appealed to the state government and relevant authorities to intervene.

“Nobody, nobody in Ogun State to come and rescue them,” he lamented.

He further urged members of the public to assist the victims, stressing that lives could be at risk if help did not arrive promptly.

“We are stuck, this is right now and this accident is terrible, it is terrible. Ogun State, no ambulance to come and rescue people. People should please come to their aid right now, right now,” Afod said.

In the accompanying Instagram caption, the actor called on rescue teams, the FRSC, the Ogun State Government and other relevant agencies to respond urgently to the incident.

“We urgently need the RESCUE TEAM to come to the aid of accident victims at Shapade, along the Ibadan–Shagamu Expressway, Ogun State,” he wrote.

He added, “Lives may be at risk. Every second counts!”

Afod also urged social media users to share his appeal until the relevant authorities responded.

Meanwhile, the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE) has confirmed a serious single-vehicle road traffic accident on the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway.

The agency disclosed this in an official alert issued on Friday through its Saapade Unit Command and shared with our correspondent via WhatsApp.

The alert, signed by Odutola Babatunde, stated that traffic flow on the expressway had not been affected by the incident, while TRACE operatives were monitoring the situation.

“Traffic flow on the expressway has not been affected by the incident, while TRACE operatives are monitoring the situation,” the agency stated.

TRACE added that further information about the accident would be communicated as soon as it became available.

The cause of the crash, the exact number of victims involved and their conditions were not immediately known as of the time of filing this report.

There was also no official response from the relevant emergency agencies regarding Afod’s allegations of delayed rescue assistance.

Afod issued a viewer-discretion warning alongside his video, cautioning that some of the footage from the accident scene could be disturbing to children and sensitive viewers.

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has commended Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, for his administration’s support and commitment to the Nigerian Army’s operations in the state.

Shaibu gave the commendation on Friday during a courtesy visit to the Edo State Government House in Benin City, according to a statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Patrick Ebojele.

The Army chief said he was in Edo State to attend several military functions and inspect projects aimed at improving the welfare and operational effectiveness of officers and soldiers.

He explained that senior officers recently promoted to the rank of major-general had been encouraged to give back to their communities in appreciation of the support they received during their career development.

Shaibu thanked the Okpebholo administration for its continued cooperation with the Nigerian Army and wished the governor a successful tenure.

Responding, Okpebholo expressed delight at receiving the Army chief and his entourage, disclosing that he had shelved an earlier plan to travel outside the state to personally welcome the delegation.

The governor praised Shaibu for his special interest in Edo State since assuming office, particularly his efforts towards the establishment of the Army’s 83 Division in the state.

“I think there is something special between you and Edo, because since you came into office, you have specially paid attention to things about Edo, most especially the 83 Division that is coming to our state,” Okpebholo said.

He described the planned establishment of the division as a significant development, noting that residents were excited about the prospect of having the military formation in the state.

The governor also praised the Army chief for appointing a brigade commander whose activities, he said, had contributed significantly to improving the security situation across Edo.

“Let me tell you, the best gift that you have given me is the Brigade Commander that you brought to Edo.

“Since I became the governor, his coming is like a comfort to me, because today, nobody is talking about kidnapping in our state,” he said.

Okpebholo said the brigade commander had remained committed to maintaining peace and security, adding that personnel of the Nigerian Army and other security agencies had demonstrated readiness to respond to security threats.

He recalled that residents of Ekpoma previously experienced difficulties sleeping because of insecurity but said the situation had improved following security interventions.

“As I speak to you, Ekpoma is in peace. People can now go to their farms,” the governor stated.

He also identified Okpella as another community that had experienced security challenges, noting that the efforts of security agencies had helped restore peace and stability.

“There is nothing he is not doing to restore peace across the state. I am happy working with him. He is someone that is ready to work for the people and ready to serve,” Okpebholo added.

The governor expressed appreciation to the Nigerian Army for its role in securing Edo State and assured Shaibu of his administration’s continued support and cooperation.

He further expressed confidence that the partnership between the state government and the Nigerian Army would continue to deliver positive results in addressing security challenges and protecting residents.

A Lagos-based photographer, Eman Pictures, has recovered a stolen MacBook Pro and four external hard drives following widespread social media attention generated by CCTV footage of the theft at the Oriental Hotel, Lagos.

The photographer announced the recovery on Thursday, thanking members of the public who helped circulate the incident and provide support after the equipment went missing.

The bag containing the items was reportedly stolen from the bride’s room on October 31 while Eman Pictures was covering a wedding ceremony at the hotel.

The stolen belongings included a MacBook Pro M1 and four external hard drives containing footage from five weddings yet to be delivered to the couples.

The incident initially raised concerns about the possible loss of important wedding memories and the photographer’s professional work.

Following the theft, Eman Pictures appealed to the public for assistance through social media, sharing CCTV footage that allegedly showed a man entering the room, picking up the bag and leaving the hotel.

The photographer also announced a N500,000 reward for credible information that could lead to the identification of the suspect and recovery of the stolen belongings through the appropriate authorities.

The appeal quickly gained traction online, with photographers, videographers, entertainment blogs and other social media users sharing the footage and calling for information that could help trace the missing equipment.

In an update posted on Instagram on Thursday, Eman Pictures confirmed that the MacBook and all four external hard drives had been recovered.

However, the photographer disclosed that the files stored on the hard drives had been formatted.

“I’m grateful to announce that my stolen MacBook and all four hard drives have been recovered.

“Although the hard drives had already been formatted, I’m thankful to have my equipment back,” the photographer wrote.

Eman Pictures expressed appreciation to everyone who contributed to spreading the appeal, noting that the support received through reposts, tags, calls, messages and prayers had exceeded expectations.

The photographer also acknowledged the contributions of blogs, fellow creatives, friends and strangers who helped amplify the incident and offered encouragement.

The recovery was equally confirmed by the event planner, Ms Deeeee, who had initially raised the alarm on X.

In her update, she disclosed that all the stolen items had been recovered, although the files had been formatted.

“Every item has been recovered; even though he formatted the files. it can still be retrieved back. A big thank you to everyone who came through to help out. God bless you,” she wrote.

The recovery brought relief to the photographer and the affected couples, although the possibility of retrieving the formatted wedding footage remains a major concern.