The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has announced plans to ensure free flow of traffic during the Eld el fitr celebrations as it has already deployed 25,224 personnel across the country.
The Corps Marshal, FRSC, Boboye Oyeyemi, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja, at the beginning of the Eid-el Fitr motor park mega rally themed “Achieving Zero Road Fatality Through Road Safety Campaign.”
Oyeyemi, who was represented by the Corps Public Education Officer (CPEO), Assistant Corps Marshal Bisi Kazeem, explained that the 25,224 personnel comprise 7,100 officers and 18,124 marshals had been deployed to cover all the identified areas across the country.
“Management staff, Zonal Commanding Officers, Sector Commanders and other senior officers of the rank of Deputy Corps Commanders (DCC) in the national headquarters as well as Corridor Commanders are also deployed to the Field Commands,“ he said.
He said that this was to ensure compliance with the operational guidelines issued at the beginning of the exercise.
Oyeyemi said that 580 patrol vehicles, 92 ambulances, 17 tow trucks and 73 motorbikes were being deployed as part of the patrol logistics.
He further said 2,096 reflective jackets, 1,000 traffic crones, 73 tyre pressure gauges, a number of extricating machines and digital breathalyzers were part of the tools set aside for the operations.
The corps marshal said that 10 traffic control camps to be manned by personnel on 24/7 basis would be dedicated solely to identifying traffic gridlock areas during the period.
The FRSC Corps Marshsl said that to achieve this, the corps would combine the engagement of the motoring public through purposeful and impactful public education programmes.
He directed all commanding officers to step up patrol operations and ensure strict enforcement of critical offences like overloading, driving rickety vehicles, excessive smoke emission, speed limit violations, overloading violation, use of phone while driving, drunk driving, tyre violations and light signs violations.
Oyeyemi said that the corps had put in place a situation room at the National Headquarters to monitor activities across the country.
“We will collate and process information for dissemination to relevant commands and stakeholders as the case may be.
“FRSC alone cannot shoulder the responsibilities of ensuring safer road environments.
“We will liaise with other strategic stakeholders within their operational areas for the needed moral and logistics as well as security support,” he said.
Aloga Ogbogo, the Executive Secretary, Nigeria Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), commended the initiative, saying that it would bring sanity among road users.
He enjoined drivers to be conscious while driving and be mindful of other road users.
