The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Federal Road Safety Corps

  • Easter: 100 FRSC personnel, mobile courts for Benin-Ore-Sagamu road

    The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on Wednesday said it would deploy no fewer than 100 personnel for the Easter Special Patrol on the Benin-Ore-Sagamu expressway.

    Mr Umoru Abdullahi, the FRSC Unit Commander in Ore, Ondo State, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ore that mobile courts would also be in place to try traffic offenders.

    Abdullahi said the measure was to check the excesses of motorists and prevent road crashes during the Easter celebrations.

    “Let me assure the public that over 100 personnel and mobile courts will be deployed on the Benin-Ore-Sagamu expressway to ensure that motorists comply with traffic rules.

    “We will monitor reckless driving, over-speeding, overloading, expired tyres, driving without seat belts, and phone calls while driving.

    “We will also monitor driving without driver’s licence and non-installation of speed limiters, especially, on commercial vehicles,’’ he said.

    The FRSC officer urged motorists to be patient and to drive safely to avert danger and road crashes usually caused by human error.

  • Speed Limiting Device: FRSC to ensure full compliance in Bayelsa

    On Tuesday, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Bayelsa said it will ensure full compliance of the Speed Limiting Device (SLD) by commercial drivers in the state.

    According to the State Sector Commander, Mr Wobin Gora, the corps had deployed personnel to designated points in the state to fortify operations for enforcement of installation of the device by the commercial drivers.

    “Yes, it is for commercial drivers for now because there are more road accidents involving them across the country.

    “We have started mobile court sittings and right now, we have intensified the “Operation stop-and-check’ on vehicles.

    “The operation started on Feb. 1 when the full enforcement commenced and we have booked and sanctioned several commercial drivers in the mobile courts,” he said.

    The commander said that installation of the device was for the driver’s safety because it would help to reduce the rate of motor accidents on the roads.

    “I urge all commercial vehicle owners to try to get the device because FRSC will continue to monitor the roads to ensure full compliance.

    “We are not going to leave any persons unpunished; when we arrest you, you will be prosecuted in the mobile court,” the sector commander warned.

  • Gridlock locks down Lagos-Ibadan expressway

    Gridlock locks down Lagos-Ibadan expressway

    For several hours motorists and passengers plying the Lagos-Ibadan expressway were held at a spot following the slow pace of work on the highway.

    Those heading to Lagos were made to spend hours on a journey that supposed to last for 30minutes while those leaving Lagos were blocked by those motorists taking one-way from Arepo axis of the road.

    A commuter, Femi Adeyemi left Ibafo at 6:00 am but the finance executive was at a spot for hours on the long bridge following the narrowness of the Kara Bridge which was been renovated by Julius Berger.

    “I could not believe that I am yet to get to Berger Bus Stop by 9:00 am having left home in Ibafo by 6:00 am. I think those carrying out the work deliberately put us under a lot of stress. The slow pace of the work has really made the road tasking for most of us living on this axis. I have never experienced this kind of traffic since I moved to this area a few years ago. It is killing to go through this kind of situation everyday and the same will repeat itself when I am returning from work. I think the Ministry of Work must step in and let this construction firm realise that several hours of time is being wasted on the bridge,” he groaned.

    Students were not left out of the traffic impasse as most of them were stranded at the bus stops without buses in sight to convey them to Lagos.

    Emeka Chukwudi, a student of Ojodu Grammar School told Nation that he used to leave Mowe 5:30 am on Mondayhoping to get to school before 7:00 am. But the junior class three student decided to trek to Ibafo in order to get a bus. Unfortunately, as at 8:00 am, he was still waiting alongside other commuters waiting for buses.

    “I am late now because the buses were not coming. I did not envisage this because on Monday I used to leave home by 5:30 am and hoping to get to school by 7:00 am. But as at 8:00 am, I am still standing at the bus stop without any bus in sight. I don’t know why I have to go through this on daily basis just to get to school. Coming back again is another problem because even if I leave school by 4:00 pm, I won’t get home until 7:00 pm because of the gridlock heading out of Lagos,” the 14-year-old lamented.

    However, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) swept on commuters plying one-way from the Arepo axis of the road by preventing them from the illegal act.

    An official of FRSC who spoke to Nation on condition of anonymity said that they decided to stop those using one-way from the Arepo axis of the road from blocking those heading out Lagos.

    “We just had to move into action because we realised that some commuters were taken one-way from the Arepo axis and blocking those leaving Lagos. We had to stop them because this might lock down the road for hours. We have also appealed to the construction firm to open the closed part of the Kara Bridge to allow free flow of vehicles heading to Lagos.

    “I think, motorists just have to be patience so that the traffic will not be locked down on daily basis. We hope that the construction firm can finish the work on the Kara Bridge before the end of January so that the traffic stretching to Lagos and out of Lagos can be reduced,” he said.

  • About 7 dead, 11 injured in Osun auto accident

    About 7 dead, 11 injured in Osun auto accident

    No fewer than seven people on Sunday evening died in a ghastly auto crash along Osogbo/Gbongan road while eleven others sustained varying degrees of injury during the accident.

    An eyewitness account revealed that two siblings of the same mother returning to school were among those that lost their lives.

    It was gathered that an 18-seater passenger bus around 5:00pm lost control after a tyre burst and collided with a Toyota Sienna space bus.

    It was also gathered that the passenger bus which had about 16 passengers on board immediately burst into flames after the accident and nobody could tell the cause of the fire.

    The eyewitness recounted: “We manage to remove some of the passengers in the commercial bus but about 6 people were trapped in the vehicle and got burnt. In the other private vehicle involved, one person died on the spot and the other occupant was brought out of the wreckage alive.

    “I can’t confirm what later happened. But those that were injured were taken to Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, OAUTH, Ife for treatment.

    “From what we were told when the corpses were being evacuated, two children of the same mother died in the commercial vehicle. The mother was travelling in another vehicle. She eventually met their dead bodies when she arrived the scene of the crash.”

    Meanwhile, the Osun Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Mr Umar Ibrahim, confirmed that seven people died in the accident.

    According to him, the cause of the accident could not be immediately established, saying an investigation is being conducted to unravel the cause.

  • Policemen detained for killing 17-year-old in Bayelsa 

    Policemen detained for killing 17-year-old in Bayelsa 

    About four policemen have been arrested and detained for the alleged extra-judicial killing of 17-year-old boy, Innocent Kokorifa.

    The victim, first out of five children of Mr. Daniel Kokorifa, an official of the Federal Road Safety Corps, was shot dead in a mysterious circumstance by the police Anti-Vice/Anti-Kidnapping team along Airforce Road in Yenagoa, on August 18, 2016.

    Innocent was reportedly running an errand for his mother, Pere, when he was allegedly killed by the police about 11am on the fateful day.

    The victim’s father accused the police of shielding killers of his son and demanded transparency in the handling of the matter.

    But a police source, who spoke in confidence, said some policemen were detained in a cell at the Bayelsa State Command headquarters.

    The source said: “I am not authorised to speak on the matter. But I know those men are in detention and the police authorities are investigating the incident.

    “I do not know the exact number of policemen that are detained but they are between three and four.”

    Efforts to get reaction from the Police Public Relations Officer, Asinim Butswat,  were futile as his mobile phone did not connect.

    The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ogunjemilusi, has remained mute over the matter.

     

  • Four die in Edo road accident

    Four die in Edo road accident

    Four persons were on friday killed in a lone road accident that occurred along the Benin bye-pass at the Sapele road axis.

    Three died on the spot while the other died before doctors at the Benin Central hospital could attend to him.

    It was gathered that the Toyota Hiace bus they were traveling in somersaulted severally after one of the tyres bursted.

    Officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps used two hilux vans to convey the victims to the hospital.

    Doctors at the hospital were seen rushing in to stabilize the victims who were too feeble to talk.

    Sapele road Unit Commander of the FRSC, Omotosho Lasisi, who confirmed the incident said 11 victims were taken to the hospital while six others refused to go to the hospital.

    He said three died at the spot and added that vehicle has been removed to ease traffic flow on the road.

  • Federal Road Safety Corps van without brake light

    Federal Road Safety Corps van without brake light

    What is the fine for this offense our Federal Road Safety Corps officers? Don’t forget the passengers too.

  • Easter: FRSC impounds 70 vehicles in Zamfara

    Easter: FRSC impounds 70 vehicles in Zamfara

    The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Zamfara has impounded 70 road vehicles during the Easter patrol from March 24 to March 28.

    The Sector Commander, Mr Amos Thliza, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gusau on Tuesday.

    Thliza said that the Easter celebration was calm as there was no accident recorded except for some traffic offenders that were arrested.

    He said 109 traffic violators were arrested for 112 offences and from which 70 vehicles were impounded.
    said that the impounded vehicles would be returned to the offenders only when the appropriate fines had been paid.

    The sector commander said 311 officers and men were deployed to ensure free flow of traffic with eight patrol vehicles and an ambulance during the period.

    He advised motorists to exercise patience while driving, saying that they should drive carefully, avoid speeding and follow traffic signs.

  • Death from road accidents higher than AIDS – FRSC

    Death from road accidents higher than AIDS – FRSC

    The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has said that the number of deaths recorded daily on highways through road accidents is higher than death from the dreaded Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

    This was disclosed by the acting Sector Commander of FRSC in Lagos State, Michael Olapade during a courtesy call on the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa in his office, Alausa Ikeja on Tuesday.

    While recalling the death of Minister of state for Labour and Employment, James Ocholi, his wife and son as a result of an auto crash along Abuja-Kaduna road, Olapada said “the lives of our youths are being lost on daily basis. Many people talk of AIDS as most deadly, FRSC do not believe this when you talk of number of deaths, road accidents are higher.”

    The sector Commander explained that as everybody continues to aspire in life, “we want to partner with all the people that are important to the people so that we will save lives for Nigeria to be better.”

    While appealing for more support from the House, Olapade stated that the number of units and equipment for the organisation is inadequate.

    He pointed out that the institution in Lagos has 15 units and one sector command, saying that out of the total number of vehicles in the country, Lagos state has one quarter. “The number of these units is not enough to complement the efforts of other traffic agencies like LASTMA and VIO.”

    While assuring the institution’s readiness to collaborate with the state government, Olapade said that the organization has plans in the offing to decorate members of the House as special marshals.

    In his reaction, the Speaker said the House appreciates the good job done by the men of FRSC.

    He however stated that effort must be made to curtail the activities of bad eggs in the organisation that extort money from motorists.

    “You should monitor the activities of your men, there are roads that can’t be categorised as either federal or state road some of your men do go to extort money from motorists,” Obasa said.

    Obasa also urged the institution to intensify effort on campaigns, adding that there was need to

  • Traffic Violation: Courts convict 500 persons in Edo

    Traffic Violation: Courts convict 500 persons in Edo

    Over 500 persons were arraigned and convicted for various traffic offences during the joint road check exercise also known as Operation Velvet carried out by the Edo State Internal Revenue Service (EIRS) in conjunction with other security agencies such as the Nigeria Police, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRCS), Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIOs) and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC).

    This was made known by the Executive Director, Tax Compliance, EIRS, Prince Felix Isuku during an interview with newsmen in his office Wednesday.
    He said that over 500 persons were arraigned before the mobile traffic courts set up in ten locations across the state for the exercise and were likewise convicted for various traffic offences ranging from cases of fake drivers licence, expired motorcycle and vehicle particulars, over loading, expired and non-possession of fire extinguishers, tinted and covered number plates.

    He noted that the road check exercise exposed some vehicle owners for possession of expired vehicle particulars spanning over three to five years. In addition, he said that most drivers were in possession of fake drivers licence a situation he described as worrisome but was assured that the road check exercise was meant to control it.
    The tax compliance director said the exercise is a continuous one which will come in phases but that the regular checks by other traffic and security agencies will continue.

    Describing the exercise as successful, Isuku remarked that most motorists complied with the exercise by visiting the one-stop-shop for vehicle registration and designated driver licence data capturing centres across the state to revalidate their vehicle particulars and also to obtain the genuine drivers licence.

    Isuku informed that currently, there exists four drivers licence data capturing/registration centres in Edo State- Auchi, Ekpoma, while two others are in the Benin City metropolis with two more expected within the year.

    He advised motorists to visit any of the designated places for drivers licence registration which is not done neither by proxy nor the use of passport photographs and cost no more than six thousand three hundred and fifty naira.

    Expressing her view of the exercise, an applicant Susan Osaghae who acquired the temporary drivers licence said the exercise is a right step in the right direction and that she followed the application processes all by herself and paid the official fee of N6, 350. She equally advised those still in possession of the fake drivers licence to do the right thing by visiting the approved centres for genuine data capturing.

    The executive director, tax compliance, affirmed that presentation of tax clearance certificate (TCC) as a condition for the registration of motor vehicle is still in force as it is enshrined in Section 85 (4) (b) of the Personal Income Tax Act (2004) as amended.