A white Peugeot carries the words “NASARAWA STATE UNIVERSITY AMBULANCE.” It serves over 40,000 students at the Keffi campus. It looks too beaten up for urgent patient transport. The vehicle has become a symbol of neglect. Images circulated online this week. Viewers contrasted it with the state’s ₦16.68 billion September allocation from the Federation Account. They also pointed to reports of luxury vehicles in the governor’s convoy and new Toyota Prados donated to APC youth leaders.
Campus emergency services in Nigeria are chronically underfunded. In 2023, students at a federal university in the north protested after an ambulance broke down during a critical case. In 2024, the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System was launched to improve rural and institutional response. It has not reached most campuses. Universities rely on ageing vehicles and volunteer staff. When a student collapses, the first call is often to a private car.
The Peugeot’s condition is the story. It is the university’s ambulance. It is not fit for purpose. Students say response times are slow. They say the vehicle breaks down. They say they fear the worst if they need emergency care. The state government has not commented. The university has not issued a statement. The governor’s office has not responded.
The contrast is stark. ₦16.68 billion arrived in September. Luxury vehicles are visible. The ambulance is not. Online reactions mixed humour with anger. One commenter said the vehicle should be towed, not driven. Another said the state should redirect funds from political spending to emergency services. The outrage reflects a broader frustration. Citizens see money. They do not see services.
Winners: Contractors who supply luxury vehicles. Politicians who benefit from visible spending. No one else. Losers: The 40,000 students, who lack reliable emergency transport. University staff, who manage a broken system. Patients who cannot afford private care. The state government, whose priorities are questioned. Taxpayers, whose funds buy Prados while ambulances decay.
Bottom Line: A university ambulance is not a luxury item. It is a necessity. Nasarawa can afford ₦16.68 billion in federal allocations. It cannot afford a working ambulance for 40,000 students. That is a choice. The outrage is justified. The fix is not complicated. But the priority is missing.