Abuja: The President of the Road Safety Officers’ Wives Association (ROSOWA), Dr Nafisat Shehu-Mohammed, has addressed the challenging conditions faced by victims of Road Traffic Crashes (RTCs) as she visited them at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Jabi, Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the visit was a part of ROSOWA’s activities to commemorate the 2025 World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, observed globally on the third Sunday of November. Dr Shehu-Mohammed emphasized the significance of the 2025 theme, ‘Remember, Support, Act,’ and called for a renewed focus on promoting safer driving practices nationwide.
The purpose of the visit was to honor those who have lost their lives in road crashes, provide support to survivors, and advocate for increased efforts to reduce road traffic injuries and fatalities across the country. Dr Shehu-Mohammed expressed the distressing nature of witnessing the condition of crash victims, some of whom were unconscious or unrecognizable.
She urged all drivers and stakeholders to collaborate in minimizing road crashes and emphasized the importance of road safety, warning against speeding, drunk driving, and distractions. Her advice to drivers was straightforward: focus on safe driving practices, avoid speeding, and refrain from using phones while driving.
During the visit, ROSOWA assumed responsibility for the medical care and welfare of Mrs Mary, an unconscious hit-and-run victim who had been hospitalized for four weeks without any family support. Dr Shehu-Mohammed committed to covering her feeding, medication, and general welfare for a month, highlighting the association’s dedication to supporting crash victims.
The News Agency of Nigeria also reported that ROSOWA made a donation of N50,000 and provided relief materials to another female victim who had undergone leg amputation due to a crash. Dr Timothy Samaila, a Consultant Neurosurgeon and Head of the Surgical Emergency Unit at the FMC, praised ROSOWA for their genuine concern and commitment to saving lives, emphasizing that prevention is the best approach, particularly for traumatic brain injuries.
Dr Samaila identified human factors, such as reckless driving and mechanical faults, as leading causes of crashes in Abuja. He acknowledged ROSOWA’s advocacy efforts, underscoring the importance of such initiatives in promoting prevention and reducing trauma cases.
Items donated by ROSOWA included wheelchairs, crutches, sanitary pads, pampers, cotton wools, bandages, and monetary support.