CAAN To Train 250 First Responders On Lagos-Ibadan Expressway
The Chevening Alumni Association of Nigeria (CAAN) has launched a road safety initiative to train 250 community members and transport workers in emergency response skills to improve assistance for road crash victims along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The initiative, scheduled to run until February 2027, aims to reduce preventable deaths by equipping participants with the knowledge and practical skills needed to assist accident victims before professional emergency responders arrive.
The programme is supported by the Chevening Alumni Programme Fund (CAPF) 2026-2027, funded by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office through the British High Commission.
In a statement signed by its President, Kester Osahenye, CAAN said the training would focus on securing crash scenes, controlling bleeding, identifying life-threatening injuries, providing basic assistance and contacting emergency services.
The initiative is designed to address delays in emergency medical assistance along the Lagos-Ibadan corridor, a major transport route characterised by heavy commuter traffic, commercial vehicles and freight trucks.
According to the association, equipping people who are often present at accident scenes with basic first-response skills could help stabilise victims and improve their chances of survival during the critical period before professional medical assistance arrives.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) recorded 10,446 road crashes nationwide in 2025, resulting in 5,289 deaths and 33,400 injuries. The World Health Organisation (WHO) also estimated that Nigeria recorded 36,722 road traffic fatalities in 2021.
CAAN said the programme would complement the efforts of the FRSC and the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System by strengthening community-level emergency response and ensuring that victims are referred to appropriate medical facilities.
The training will begin with a train-the-trainer programme in October to prepare 30 peer trainers, followed by five community workshops between October and December. Refresher sessions are scheduled for January, while a dissemination forum and webinar will hold in February 2027.
Participants will receive the training free of charge, covering scene safety, basic bleeding control, airway awareness, identification and support of crash victims, emergency communication and safe referral procedures.
The initiative also plans to develop six short learning resources in English, Yoruba and Nigerian Pidgin to expand public access to road safety and emergency response information. Through additional training activities and awareness campaigns, the organisers expect to reach more than 11,300 people.
Dr Kiitan Bolajoko, a trustee of the Sanitas Health and Development Foundation (SANHDEF) and a 2020-2021 Chevening alumna, said the initiative was inspired by the frequent sight of people gathering around accident victims without knowing how to provide safe and effective assistance.
Bolajoko explained that the project would empower community members and transport workers to become the first link in the emergency care chain while reinforcing the work of professional responders.
She stressed that the initiative was not intended to replace emergency medical services but to ensure that victims receive appropriate initial assistance while awaiting their arrival.
The Health Emergency Initiative (HEI), an organisation specialising in emergency medical response and community-based first aid training, will provide technical support for the programme.
Its responsibilities will include competency-based instruction, practical simulations, refresher training, emergency referral guidance and quality assurance.
The Executive Director of HEI, Paschal Achunine, said delays and uncertainty during the first hour after a road crash could significantly contribute to fatalities.
He noted that community members could be trained to provide essential initial assistance, adding that the skills required did not necessarily demand a medical background.
Achunine said equipping communities along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway with practical emergency response skills would promote a locally driven approach to reducing preventable deaths on Nigerian roads.
