News Investigators/ The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps ( FRSC), Dauda Ali Biu on Wednesday directed all commanding officers to ensure full deployment of staff for maximum visibility, prompt removal of obstructions and ease of movement on all highways across the country.
This is in line with the operational guidelines of this year’s Easter special patrol scheduled to commence from 29 March to 2 April, 2024.
Corps Public Education Officer, FRSC Hq., Jonas Agwu, in a statement explained that “the objectives of the special operations are to reduce road traffic crashes, fatalities and injuries; prompt response to crash victims; unhindered engagement in purposeful public education and speedy removal of obstructions from the highways, amongst others.
“Dauda Biu assured members of the public that in achieving the objectives of the special operations, the Corps will combine the engagement of the motoring public through purposeful and impactful public education programmes, strengthening of surveillance activities to regulate unprofessional excesses, sustained effective patrol operations as well as adequate monitoring on the highways,” Mr. Agwu, an Assiatant Corps Marshal said.
According to rhe statement, the Corps would carryout aggressive enforcement including conducting over 200 Mobile Courts operations, with the aim of checking the following offences namely: speeding and dangerous driving/overtaking; lane indiscipline/route violation; road obstructions; use of phone while driving; overloading and seatbelt/child restraint use violations.
Others are passenger’s manifest Violation, operation of mechanical deficient and rickety vehicles, latching and twist-locks violation and illegal use of the spy number plates.
“To achieve this, over 743 patrol vehicles, 184 administrative vehicles, 92 ambulances, 23 tow trucks and 144 motorbikes are being deployed as part of the patrol logistics.
“Furthermore, reflective jackets , traffic cones, tyre pressure gauges, a number of extricating machines and digital breathalyzers are part of the tools set aside for the special operations.
“Added to the above is, a total of 23 Help Areas mobilised to ensure prompt removal of obstructions, and rescue operations during the period. This, he said, is in addition to the 15 traffic control camps which would be dedicated solely to identifying traffic gridlock areas to be manned by our personnel on 24/7 basis.
“For effective monitoring and prompt response, the Corps has put in place a Situation Room at the National Headquarters to monitor the activities across the country, collate and process information for dissemination to relevant commands and stakeholders as the case may be.
“This is in addition to 28 Road Traffic Crash Clinics and 53 Zebra points located along the major routes. This would be covered by 92 ambulances to be fully utilized for prompt response to crashes and rescue of injured victims to hospitals for more professional attention.
He also directed the Commanding Officers to liaise with other strategic stakeholders within their operational areas to secure the needed moral and logistics as well as security support. Dauda Biu identified some of the stakeholders as Military formations (enroute or resident); the Nigeria Police (enroute or resident); DSS (enroute or resident); the Nigeria Immigration Service; the NSCDC (enroute or resident).
Others are Federal Ministry of Works and Housing; National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA); State Traffic Management Agencies; State owned NGO’s ambulance Services providers; National Network on Emergency Rescue Services (NNES);
Federal Road Maintenance Agencies and
Federal Fire Service.
On the overall preparedness of the Corps for the special operations, the Corps Marshal has expressed optimism that Nigerians would as usual, cooperate with members of the Corps and other security agencies as well as volunteers who would come out to assist the Corps in traffic management.
Expectedly, with the massive deployment of personnel and logistics and the envisaged public support, the Corps Marshal is confident that the celebration would be a huge success.
“While reassuring the motoring public of FRSC’s renewed vigour towards entrenching sanity on the roads, the Corps Marshal also wishes all Nigerians safe and peaceful Easter celebrations,” he added.
