The Nation Newspaper

Tag: FRSC

  • FRSC warns against obtaining driver’s licence by proxy

    FRSC warns against obtaining driver’s licence by proxy

    The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on Wednesday warned against obtaining the driver’s licence by proxy and advised prospective applicants to obtain the document through due process.

    Mr Boboye Oyeyemi, the Corps Marshal of the FRSC, gave the warning at a one-day workshop organised for the Corps Heads of Driving License Centres.

    “There will be no more collection of driver’s licence by proxy; prospective applicants will have to come by themselves and be captured to avoid obtaining fake license.

    “Also, fresh applicants must obtain permit from an approved driving school and undergo all necessary processes before they will be issued the document,’’ Oyeyemi said.

    He said the issue of integrity of driver’s licence was raised when the corps visited the National Assembly recently; assuring that the corps was poised to tackle the issue of fake licence.

    The corps marshal restated that the document could be obtained with only N6, 350 and advised applicants to report any personnel of the corps who demanded more than the amount.

    According to Oyeyemi, the workshop is to review the first quarter operations of the corps and address the issue of driver’s licence.

    He said the corps, for the first time, recorded lowest cases of road traffic accidents during the Easter.

    He attributed this to adequate deployment of personnel and equipment during the period.

    Oyeyemi advised motorists and other road users to continue to collaborate with the commission in efforts to reduce road crashes.

  • Easter tragedy: Three die in Ibadan road accident

    Easter tragedy: Three die in Ibadan road accident

    Four persons met their untimely death in the early hours of Monday Easter Monday in Ibadan in an auto-crash at Uncle Joe axis of the Mokola-Sango road.

    It was learnt that the only survivor from the lone accident, a lady is presently on danger list with serious injuries and a broken leg.

    It was further learnt that the five people said to be three boys and two ladies were reportedly coming from a night club together with others in two separate cars.

    Eye witness account said the three cars were coming from the Dugbe axis of the road heading for Sango area with high speed during which the blue Corona car marked Lagos EKD 470BJ lost control while trying to overtake the other car in the convoy at about 5.15am.

    The car reportedly collided with a concrete wall in the middle of the road with Four of the five people in the car, a lady and three boys died on the spot while the fifth person, a lady survived with serious injuries.

    According to the eye witness, some bottles of suspected hot drinks were reportedly recovered from the car while the dead bodies of the four people were brought out of the car.

    It was learnt that it took men of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), the Nigeria Police and others about an hour before the four dead bodies could be recovered from the already mutilated car.

    The Oyo state FRSC Spokesperson, Mr Oluwaseun Onijala while responding to reporter’s questions said three male adults died while a lady who was critically injured was rushed to the Oyo state General hospital Adeoyo for treatment.

    He said the lone accident occurred around 2am.

    Mr Onijala declared that preliminary investigations have shown that the accident was as a result of speed limit violation and that the driver of the car was driving under alcoholic influence.

    The FRSC spokesperson said the three dead bodies have been deposited at Adeoyo mortuary while the only surviving lady is also receiving treatment at the same hospital.

  • FRSC seeks accident-free holiday

    FRSC seeks accident-free holiday

    Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Lagos and Ogun Zonal Commanding Officer Assistant Corps Marshal Nseobong Charles Akpabio yesterday said officers have been deployed to the highways to ensure accident-free Easter celebration.

    He made this known at the launch of the special patrol operation for the festival.

    Akpabio said Special and Regular Marshals, officers’ wives, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and Road Safety Clubs will partake in the vigorous assignment during the period.

    The FRSC chief said the officers will use radar guns and alcoholiser machines to detect speed violation and driving under the influence. The measure, he said is to ensure that  accidents are reduced.

    The operation, he said, would focus on massive public enlightenment across motor parks, removal of rickety vehicles/clearance of obstructions on roads, full scale enforcement targeted at but not limited to drivers licences, fake or expired number plates.

    Others, he said, include speed limit violation (SLV), overloading violation (OVL), lane indiscipline, wrongful overtaking (WOV), dangerous driving and driving with worn out tyres.

  • Easter: FRSC assures of free flow of traffic, safety

    Easter: FRSC assures of free flow of traffic, safety

    Mr Boboye Oyeyemi, Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), on Thursday assured Nigerians of free flow of traffic and road safety during the Easter holiday.

    Oyeyemi told newsmen in Abuja that the commission had deployed appropriate logistics to major high ways to check traffic challenges during the period.

    “We have about 23 corridors which the country high ways have been divided into, and with the injection of new sets of patrol vehicles, we have been able to cover critical corridors effectively.

    “Going by the strategic session we had last week, we promised Nigerians we will be able to put in our best to ensure free flow of traffic.

    “Already you know we have some critical black spots from Kotonkarfi to Yangoji, then from Yangoji, you look at Lokoja/ Okene Egbeda, that is, Iwo Road-Ninth Mile, then Ogere and Akwanga.

    “Those are the critical areas and corporate personnel have been deployed there; we want to assure Nigerians that we will continue to ensure that for these critical locations, there is free flow of traffic,’’ he said.

    According to Oyeyemi, if there is any crash, the FRSC should be able to give prompt attention to crash victims.

    He appealed to Nigerians, especially families travelling to use their seatbelts, including those in front and at the backseats, and advised that children should not be put on the front seat.

    He also advised women to seat at the back of the car with the child and use the child’s restrained seatbelts to strap him.

    “These are the critical things we need to look at and take precautionary measures seriously than before.

    “As you can see, the weather is changing and we are gradually moving into the full cycle of the rainy season.’’

    Oyeyemi advised Nigerians to ensure that tyres were in order, the braking system and the wipers also fully in order, and to ensure that they put on head lamps when it rained.

    He said that when in parking position, drivers should switch on the car head lamp so that the rear lights would be on to avoid being run into from the rear.

    The FRSC boss reiterated the commission’s commitment to sustaining its campaign on road safety while using the traffic alert in festive seasons like the Easter.

    He appealed to road users to be more conscious of the vehicle conditions, especially while travelling and to adhere strictly to traffic rules to avoid crashes.

  • Dangerous driving: Driver gets 12 months sentence

    Dangerous driving: Driver gets 12 months sentence

    For driving dangerously on the Calabar – Itu Federal Highway and attempting to escape with a Federal Road safety Commission (FRSC) official, a truck driver, Mr Joshua Gabriel-39, was Tuesday in Akwa Ibom State sentenced to 12 months imprisonment with hard labour.

    Magistrate Glory Udonna, said the driver contravene Section 21 of Federal Road safety Commission Act 2007, for driving dangerously on the federal high way.

    The magistrate said that the driver would also pay N10, 000 fine to the owner of Jetta Saloon car with registration no. Cross River AE 393 BRA damaged in the course of his dangerous driving.
    She added that Gabriel would pay another fine of N10, 000 for the repair of a motor cycle he damaged through his dangerous driving.

    The driver who was flagged by road safety officials, who were on routine patrol with mobile court session at Mbak Itam in Itu Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom  refused to stop.

    Mrs. Cecilia Aloa, Sector Commander said the driver, dangerously drove his Mack Truck with registration No Lagos FK 562XH from Mbak Itam in Itu to Ikono Local Government Area before he was apprehended.

    Alao said that the command had prosecuted 33 road traffic offenders in the mobile court session.

    She explained that 32 of them were sentenced with options of fines while one who drove dangerously was sentenced to jail without any option of fine.

    She said that the truck driver attempted to run away with one of the road safety operatives who flagged him to stop.

    The Sector Commander said the exercise was done as part of the commission’s aim to actualise one of their strategic objectives to improve enforcement and improve public education.

    “We want to make sure that people obey traffic regulations because it is only the living that celebrates.

    “And that is why we are having this mobile court today, to apprehend the offenders and for them to be tried immediately.

    “This is not a normal procedure where we give them tickets and they go to the bank to pay; this one is being presided over by a magistrate.

    “Any offenders we are going we apprehend today will be tried according to the rule of law.

    “So far we have 33 offenders that have been apprehended today and they have been prosecuted in the magistrate court.

    “We have 10 trucks, but one of the 10 trucks is likely to go to jail today.

    “Why I am saying this is because instead of the truck driver to stop when he was flagged down, he attempted to run away with one of our operatives,” Alao said.

    Speaking to the convict, (Gabriel) said the mistake had already been done, adding that he did not know what happened to him.

    He said, “I don’t have much to say but the mistake had been made; they have taken their decision.

    “In life there is something that will happen and you do not know what cause it.

    “Something that happened now, I don’t know what caused it.

    “Since I have been plying this road, I have been a good user of this road, but I was just coming from burial yesterday I do not know what is the real cause.

     

  • Nine killed in Abakaliki-Enugu road accident

    Nine killed in Abakaliki-Enugu road accident

    No fewer than nine persons died Tuesday in a ghastly motor accident which occurred along the Abakaliki-Enugu expressway.

    Also three others were severely injured and are battling for survival in the hospital.

    Three of the dead were burnt beyond recognition, it was gathered.

    The accident, it was learnt, involved a trailer and a coaster bus. The trailer was carrying chippings while the bus was on its way to Ikom in Cross River state from Lagos.

    An eyewitness, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the driver of the trailer lost control when the front tire burst.

    “The trailer ran into the coastal bus after it lost control.  Also a motor bike collided with the two vehicles,” said the source.

    The bus immediately caught fire and burnt three of the victims beyond recognition.

    The Director of Fire Services in the Ebonyi state Fire Service, James Owo confirmed the incident to our reporter.

    He said he deployed his men to the scene who were able to put out the fire.

    “We worked in conjunction with the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) to rescue the victims and take them to hospital,” he added.

  • Six killed in accident on Lokoja-Abuja road

    Six killed in accident on Lokoja-Abuja road

    Six people died in a ghastly auto accident which occurred in the early hours of Tuesday on the Lokoja-Abuja road.

    Ten other people were seriously injured in the accident, which occurred at about 4:a.m., at a bend at Ohono village located on the ever busy road.

    The Sector Commander of the FRSC in Kogi, Mr Ogochukwu Ugboma, who confirmed the incident, said a truck carrying cement belonging to Dangote Cement Company and a J5 bus were involved.

    He said that traffic control was ongoing at the bend to avoid disruption to vehicular movement, adding that four other persons escaped unhurt in the accident.

    Ugboma said the accident may have been caused by hazy weather and the state of the road.

    Those injured, he said, were taken to the Federal Medical Centre in Lokoja for treatment while the corpses were deposited at the morgue of the hospital.

  • Union donates to FRSC

    It was festivity galore as members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (J5 Container Unit, Mile 12) handed over the keys of an office accommodation to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Ojota Unit Command Lagos. The newly inaugurated building, comprising two office rooms and a toilet, was built by the NURTW.

    In his address, Bulama Adamu Gumel, representative of the transport union, said the donation was made as a token of appreciation to the men and officers of the command. Gumel, who likened the relationship between FRSC and NURTW to that between husbands and wives, emphasised that “doing this for FRSC does not mean that our members now have a licence to drive or behave recklessly on the roads.”

    Commending the gesture, Michael A. Olapade, a Deputy Corps Commander, who represented the Lagos State FRSC Commander, thanked the transport union for standing by FRSC, even as he urged his officers to always do more for the public, adding that “to whom much is given, much is also expected.”

    While recalling that his command had recorded landmark achievements through collaborations that had enhanced the operation and performance of his officers, Ojota Unit Commander of FRSC, Kehinde Hamzat, an Assistant Corps Commander (ACC), said he “felt extremely great and happy” that the relationship between the FRSC and stakeholders is waxing stronger.

    “The true friend of FRSC is the driver that upholds all the etiquettes of good driving, including driving with up-to-date driver’s licence and respecting traffic rules and regulations. If the road safety officials are happy, they will be motivated to do more on the roads and more lives will be saved.

    “I am happy the union leaders warned their members that the donation was not a license for misbehaviour on the road, but an act of corporate social responsibility. Some transporters act ignorantly. Some want to come closer to us without knowing how. But with this gesture, they know we are really approachable; there is also an opportunity for us to get closer to them and enlighten them the more on driver’s licence and other issues,” Hamzat said.

  • Ocholi: Fake drivers’ license not valid, FRSC insists

    Ocholi: Fake drivers’ license not valid, FRSC insists

    The Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC has stated that a fake drivers’ license is not acceptable by the Commission.

    The FRSC Director of Media and Strategy, Bisi Kazeem in an interview on Sunday in Abuja maintained that the driver of the late Minister of a State for Labour, James Ocholi had no license with the Commission.

    According to him, reports in the social media that Mr Taiwo Elegbede, driver of the ill-fated vehicle that claimed the lives of Ocholi and his family members has a driver’s license is not true.

    “Elegbede is not captured in our driver’s licensing data, so the license he claimed to have expired must be a fake one.

    “Our license procedure includes physical presence and biometric capturing of applicants which is permanently stored in our data bank, for the purpose of verification.

    “We always tell members of the public to visit our licensing centres spread across the country and desist from patronizing touts while applying for their driver’s license.

    “Elegbede cannot be called a competent driver if he does not have a genuine driver’s license, which he can only acquire showing mastery of basic driving principles.

    Also, reacting to the claim that the vehicle was not originally that of the Ministry of Labour, Kazeem said “A good driver must perform a routine check on his vehicles before driving out. It is not an excuse to say because the vehicle was provided by another office and he should ignore a check on it.
    ” Infact, the maintenance department could not claim in-culpability as a result of receiving the vehicle from another agency or department, the more reason , why proper check should be carried out as the vehicle is changing hands.”

    Kazeem said the commission wished the driver speedy recovery and urged members of the public to only engage the service of a genuinely licensed drivers to avert road carnages.

    Ocholi, his wife and a son died in an accident along Kaduna-Abuja Highway on Sunday,March 6, while the driver and the orderly sustained serious injuries.

    The FRSC Boss, Boboye Oyeyemi had said the driver was not captured in the commission’s data during his briefing to President Muhamammadu Buhari on Wednesday.

  • “Ocholi’s driver had no license”

    “Ocholi’s driver had no license”

    The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Boboye Oyeyemi, on Wednesday disclosed that the late Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Barrister James Ocholi died as a result of over speeding.

    The Corps Marshal said this while presenting the accident’s Road Traffic Crash Investigation Interim Report to the Federal Executive Council, FEC, on Wednesday at the meeting of the body at the presidential villa in Abuja.

    Oyeyemi stated that the Corps could not find the details of Ocholi’s driver on its database and thus declared that the driver had no license.

    Members of the Federal executive Council (FEC) led by President Muhammadu Buhari are expected to visit the family of the late minister after the meeting.

    President Buhari and some selected ministers paid glowing tributes to their fallen colleagues, just as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal said Ocholi’s burial may hold between 16th and 18th of March, 2016.