The Nation Newspaper

Tag: FRSC

  • How to avoid road crashes, by FRSC

    How to avoid road crashes, by FRSC

    WORRIED over the spate of road accidents, the Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr. Boboye Oyeyemi, has warned construction companies to install warning signals at construction sites.

    He said mounting such signals will warn motorists and other road users of the need of to apply caution while approaching such areas.

    The FRSC chief who expressed concern about the safety of motorists during the ‘ember months’, spoke through a statement issued by the organisation’s Head, Media Relations and Strategy, Mr. Bisi Kazeem.

    He blamed the recent crashes along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on inadequate construction warnings and diversions without warnings. Messrs Reynold Construction Company (Nig.) and Julius Berger Nig are handling the reconstructing of the road.

    The statement said the Corps Marshal’s call for adequate warning signs was borne out of the FRSC commitment to ensure safety of all road users travelling home to meet their loved ones. Oyeyemi described as regrettable the recent crash at Ogunmakin, where a M.A.N. Diesel tanker, laden with petrol collided with a luxury bus, leaving four people dead.

    According to the statement, officers and men of the FRSC have been put on the alert to work round the clock to ensure reduction in rad traffic crashes, “especially, during this ember period.”

    Acknowledging that the ongoing massive road and rail projects will continue throughout the ember months, Oyeyemi urged construction companies to attach value to lives and properties.

    Besides, the Corps Marshal warned travellers, and transport operators to be wary of night trips, given the inherent dangers they pose due to poor visibility.

    In the words of the Head of Media Relations and Strategy, “the Corps Marshal stated that aside the possibility of encountering brigands while travelling at night, the risk of becoming victims of road crashes is also very high”.

    The statement reads: “The Corps Marshal has issued a rallying call to all Nigerians to desist from travelling at night owing to the fact that most times, intercity commercial drivers who are desperately seeking to make profit take the risk of not having sufficient rest after one journey during the day, they immediately jump at the opportunity of undertaking another trip because of the availability of passengers, not minding the time of day, distance, safety of their lives and that of the passengers.

    “The Corps Marshal advised passengers to think of their safety first before the thought of meeting up with appointments compel them to embark on night journey. In a word, he summed, “better to be late than to be the late”.

  • Challenges facing the FRSC

    It is quite clear to all informed Nigerians that from the time that the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) was established by the regime of General Ibrahim Babangida there have been massive reduction in the spate of road mishaps. Great Nigerians including Prof Wole Soyinka, Gen. Haladu Hananiya, Dr. Rotimi Agunloye, Osita Chidoka etc. gave their best in the service of the fatherland while at the leadership of the commission.

    However, the untoward attitude of rascally nationals who should know better is hampering the noble effort of the outfit. Many private car drivers make calls with their cells phones while on the wheels. Their counterpart on tricycle (keke) do the same, and the motorcycle drivers (okada) are not left out.

    Truck and tanker drivers that ply our highways are not left out in this ignoble practice of breaking traffic rules. They park their vehicles indiscriminately, and endanger the lives of other road users.

    On the other hand many a driver still works under the influence of alcohol and other mind-bending substances. Many others disobey traffic lights while other stubborn drivers drive against traffic with careless abandon.

    The commission should be more proactive. They should establish post offices in all the local government headquarters across the country and the area councils in the federal capital city, Abuja. Media campaign on road safety should be stepped up. We already have harsh penalties for offenders but it is cheaper and better to prevent then to cure.

    • By Dickson Nnaji Ogbodo Agbani, Enugu
  • FRSC prosecutes traffic offenders

    FRSC prosecutes traffic offenders

    The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has reiterated its commitment to arrest and prosecute any inter-state commercial drivers who do not state the actual number of passengers on board in the passengers’ manifest.

    The Lagos and Ogun Zonal Commander, Nseobong Charles Akpabio stated this while briefing reporters on the ongoing “Operation Scorpion” at Ojota Lagos. One of the drivers of Chisco Transport Nigeria Limited, Mr ThankGod Opetu, was arrested and prosecuted to serve as deterrent to others over non-passengers’ list documentation.

    Akpabio said Opetu’s prosecution follows his failure to record the actual number of passengers in his bus into the passengers’ manifest sheet. He noted that he recorded only 11 out of the 40 passengers on board.

    The FRSC chief said the Corps mandated all inter-state transporters to always write their passengers’ identities in the manifest sheets to make it easy to locate their families in case of road crashes.

    “Transporters have been mandated to ensure the identity, such as names, addresses and telephone numbers of passengers on board their buses are properly documented before leaving the park,” he said.

    Akpabio said he (Opetu) having breached the order informed his arrest and prosecution, along with no fewer than 23 tanker/trailer drivers who were charged for reckless driving, fake driver’s licence, overloading, driving with worn-out tyres and unlatched containers.

    Their arrests, he said, were in line with the ongoing operation scorpion exercise organised by the Corps over a month ago to checkmate impunity of the truck/tanker drivers which causes road crashes across the country.

    Akpabio said the continuous exercise is focusing on drivers’ licence violation, overloading, unhooked containers, lane indiscipline and rickety vehicles.

    He said the Corps, through the operation, has been able to apprehend no fewer than 823 vehicles with their drivers prosecuted while some have also been jailed. He said the Corps would no longer tolerate any undisciplined behaviour, especially driving with worn-out tyres and fake driver’s licences. Any driver caught would be prosecuted while his vehicle would be impounded.

    Opetu, in his response said the additional passengers in the bus were rescued at a robbery point along Okene Road around 2:30 a.m.

  • FRSC deploys men to tank farms, oil depots

    FRSC deploys men to tank farms, oil depots

    No fewer than 212 Federal Road Safety Corps’ (FRSC) personnel have been deployed to depots and tank farms across the country,  Corps Marshal/Chief Executive Officer Boboye Oyeyemi, has said.

    Oyeyemi  spoke at the opening  of a two-day safe-to-load training for FRSC officers at the Nigeria Institute of Maritime and Safety Authority (NIMASA) Multipurpose Resource Centre, Kirikiri, Apapa, Lagos.

    Among others, the men are to check, daily, the road worthiness of trailers and trucks loading before leaving the farm.

    Oyeyemi, who was represented by the Assistant Corps Marshal in charge of Corps Administrative and Strategy (CAS), Operatives Department Services (ODS), Augustine Aipoh, said the process was to enable the corps checkmate the excesses of trailer and tanker drivers causing accidents on the roads.

    He said the corps would,henceforth, monitor the activities of tanker/truck drivers from the loading point and strengthen its monitoring on the roads until they get to their destinations.

    He appealed to the tanker/trailer owners, drivers and depot owners to cooperate with the officers in the course of carrying out their duties; and to report any erring officer working contrary to the rules.

    The RS 2.1 Zonal Commander, Nseobong Charles Akpabio, said the deployment of the officers to the oil farms followed the increasing crashes involving the tankers/trailers in recent months.

    He said a monitoring mechanism had been put in place at the Corps headquarters to ensure that no officer misbehaved.

    Akpabio urged the deployed officers to maintain discipline at the depot. He noted that the Corps would not tolerate any indiscipline that could tarnish its image, adding that erring officers would be sanctioned.

    The Executive Secretary, Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), Mr Olufemi Adewole, praised the Corps for the initiative. He urged tanker owners and drivers to ensure optimum standard in their vehicles, noting that all tankers are expected to have discharge valve and other mechanisms that would guarantee safety of the product before lifting.

    He urged other stakeholders – National Association of Transport Owners (NATO), Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) unit of National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG), Major Oil Markerters Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) – and independent truck owners to cooperate with the Corps.

    He said the association will equip the safety departments at their terminals in conjunction with FRSC to ensure no truck below the minimum safety standards come into the premises to load.

    “The tyres, brake systems, lights, discharge and inlet valves are expected to be of good standards, “no truck no matter who owns it must be allowed to load if it falls below the required standard,” he added

    The General Manager, Corporate Services, Petroleum Equalization Fund, Dr. Godwin Nnamdi,  appealed to the officers to be cordial and justified in their relationship with drivers and others within the depots.

    He told the officers that their coming to the depots is to sensitise and enlighten the tanker drivers/owners on the law guiding their operations and enforce rules that would guarantee safety of lives and property.

    Nnamdi urged them to check the necessary loading documents and be satisfied before allowing trucks to go out of the tank farms.

    He advised the Corps to know the number of registered trucks across the country, adding that this would enable it detect and checkmate erring drivers.

     

  • Lawyer seeks to jail FRSC chief

    Lawyer seeks to jail FRSC chief

    Activist-lawyer Mr Tope Alabi has initiated contempt proceedings against the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Chief Executive Boboye Oyeyemi for allegedly disobeying a court order barring the corps’  to impose fines on motorists.

    The Federal High Court in Lagos, last September 26, nullified FRSC’s powers to fine motorists for violating traffic rules.

    Justice John Tsoho held that only a court could an pronounce a motorist or driver guilty of violating traffic rules and order them to pay a fine.

    The judge, who delivered the verdict in a suit by Alabi, said FRSC is not empowered to impose fines under sections 10 (4) and 28 (2) of the FRSC (Establishment) Act 2007 because it is not a court.

    According to the judge, FRSC could arrest motorists for traffic offences, but it must take them to mobile or other courts with  powers punish traffic offenders.

    However, Alabi is contending that FRSC officials had not complied with the judgment which he said is yet to be set aside by the Court of Appeal.

    Besides, he said FRSC did not apply for or obtain any way execution of the judgment.

    Therefore, he filed a Notice of Consequences of Disobedience to Order of Court, dated August 20.

    The notice warns the Corps Marshal Oyeyemi of being held liable for contempt if his men continue to violate the order by arresting and imposing fines on erring motorists without taking them to court.

    It reads: “Take notice that unless you obey the directions contained in this order, you will be guilty of contempt of court and will be liable to be committed to prison.”

  • Lawyer wants FRSC chief jailed ‎for ‘disobeying’ court’s order

    A lawyer, Mr. Tope Alabi, has initiated contempt proceedings against the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Chief Executive, Boboye Oyeyemi, for allegedly disobeying a court order barring the corps’ imposition of fines on motorists.

    The Federal High Court in Lagos on September 26 last year nullified FRSC’s powers to fine motorists for violating traffic rules.

    Justice John Tsoho held that only a court of law can pronounce a motorist or driver guilty of violating traffic rules and order them to pay a fine.

    The judge, who delivered the verdict in a suit filed by Alabi, said FRSC is not empowered to impose fines under sections 10 (4) and 28 (2) of the FRSC (Establishment) Act 2007 because it is not a court.

    According to the judge, FRSC can arrest motorists for traffic offences, but it must take them to mobile or other courts which have the powers to punish traffic offenders.

    However, Alabi is contending that FRSC officials have not complied with the judgment which he said is yet to be set aside by the Court of Appeal.

    Besides, he said FRSC did not apply for or obtain any stay of execution of the judgment.

    Therefore, he filed a Notice of Consequences of Disobedience to Order of Court, dated August 20.

    The notice warns the Corps Marshal Oyeyemi of being held liable for contempt if his men continue to violate the order by arresting and imposing fines on erring motorists without taking them to court.

    It reads: “Take notice that unless you obey the directions contained in this order, you will be guilty of contempt of court and will be liable to be committed to prison.”

    Justice Tsoho had held that FRSC cannot turn itself into a court of law by punishing those that commit traffic offences.

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  • NURTW members, FRSC clash in Osun

    NURTW members, FRSC clash in Osun

    • Many injured, vehicles destroyed

    Members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers in Osun State yesterday engaged men of the Federal Road Safety Commission in violent clash.

    Many people were injured and vehicles, including a van belonging to the FRSC, were destroyed.

    Some officers of the FRSC were seriously beaten and injured. A commercial driver was also said to be in coma.

    It was gathered that the fracas started when the FRSC officers, led by the Sector Commander, Muhammad Husaini, impounded about 15 vehicles belonging to the members of the NURTW, which allegedly contravened traffic laws during their patrol along Gbongan road.

    Investigation revealed that when a FRSC official jumped into one of the impounded vehicles and ordered the driver to drive to their office, the latter allegedly drove to another destination, where his colleagues joined him in beating up the officer.

    The FRSC Sector Commander said: “A bus was impounded in front of our office here and was ordered to be driven to the premises. So, one of my boys entered it. Surprisingly, the driver drove away with the officer and I had to order my men to follow them to save our man that was in the bus.

    “But when they got to Olaiya Junction, the NURTW members mobilised their colleagues and beat up the officer in their bus before they were later brought to our office.

    “They broke the windscreens of about seven cars in the process. They also attacked one of our men with charms before we took him to a native doctor for remedy.‎

    “But now, two persons have been arrested in connection with the crisis and we are going to press charges against them.”

    The state secretary of NURTW, Alhaji Abdulazeez Najeem, denied that his members were responsible for smashing of the windscreens of some vehicles during the clash.

    He admitted that there was a rift between some drivers, motorcyclists and the FRSC officers.

    He urged the police to investigate the matter and bring the culprits to book.

  • FRSC battle emission control

    The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) will partner the Federal Road Safety Commission to enforce the agency’s National Vehicular Emission and Control Programme in Abuja.

    NESREA’s Director-General Dr. Lawrence Anukam, spoke when he visited the Corps Marshall General, Mr. Boboye Oyeyemi, in Abuja. He said the partnership would control the emission level.

    Warning that high level of emission could be dangerous than HIV if not contained, Dr Anukam called for concerted efforts to arrest the situation.

    He told the Corps Marshall that NESREA was prepared for a pilot test, having procured the necessary equipment needed for a nationwide operation. He said the test-run project would be restricted to the Federal Capital Territory.

    Dr Anukam added that each of the Testing Centres would be equipped with Bar Code Systems that would standardise the process.

    Mr. Oyeyemi said the commission would cooperate with the agency. He said a lot of advocacy was needed for people to know the minimum acceptable level of emission and what the law prescribed.

  • Arrests as FRSC hits the road to enforce safety

    Arrests as FRSC hits the road to enforce safety

    The ongoing Fedeal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Special Operation on Lagos – Ibadan Expressway code named “Operation Scorpion” is biting harder on undiscipline motorists on the corridor.

    A combined team of FRSC operatives on the corridor arrested and handed over two Cement drivers, among others, for immediate prosecution at the mobile court for reckless/dangerous driving, speed limit violation and driving without valid drivers’ licences, among other traffic offences.

    The FRSC Zonal Commanding Officer, Zone 2 Command Lagos, Assistant Corps Marshal Nseobong Akpabio said the exercise was part of various measures designed to tackle the menace haulage truck drivers perpetrate on Nigerian roads. The two Dangote Cement company truck drivers arraigned before mobile court at Oluyole, Ibadan along Lagos – Ibadan expressway were Sani Ahmed and Umar Musa. Akpabio revealed this while addressing a group of truck and tanker drivers at Ogere during his routine monitoring of the special task force from Lagos to Ibadan.

    He also warned the drivers and other motorists against reckless and dangerous driving, driving under the influence of drugs and or alcohol, speed limit violation, driving with worn-out tyres as well as driving without valid driver’s license, saying no one has immunity against road crashes.

    Akpabio affirmed that the Corps is working in co-operation with the judiciary in the three states of Lagos, Ogun and Oyo to accelerate prosecution of traffic offenders. This, he said, is meant to instill discipline in every road user in a bid to reduce road crashes.

    He further explained that Ahmed Sani drove his unregistered, fully loaded truck with cement in a reckless and dangerous manner,inimical to the safety of himself and other road users. The truck had no registration number plate but company inscription of “IBESE 5”.

    Sani’s manner of driving made other motorists to lodge complaints to three various FRSC patrol teams at Ogere and Onigari along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. The patrol teams sent traffic alert to other patrol teams within and outside the corridor to watch out for the vehicle.

    Following the signal, the said driver was flagged down by the next FRSC team but all effort made to effect arrest failed as the driver continued in his reckless and dangerous driving.

    Mindful of the danger inherent in such tendency, re-inforcement was made until the driver was tactically arrested and was immediately arraigned before mobile Court sitting at Oluyole, Oyo State along the Ibadan – Lagos Expressway on the count charges of dangerous driving, operating a vehicle without number plate, failure to stop when asked to do so by law enforcement officers and driving without drivers’ licence. These contravened the provisions of the Federal Road Safety Commission Act, National Road Traffic Regulation 2012, Oyo State Road Traffic Law and Federal Highway Act.

    The Court sentenced Mr Sani to three months’ imprisonment with hard labour and payment of N81,000 as fine.

    The second driver, Mr Musa Umar was also arraigned before the court for driving a truck with registration number RMG 29 XA, fully loaded with cement dangerously on the highway and without a valid drivers’ licence.

    On his part, Mr Umar pleaded guilty and showed remorse for his act and promised to drive responsibly henceforth. The court convicted him but with option of fine of N60,000 while his truck remained impounded until the company provides another driver to drive the truck.

    Meanwhile, in Lagos 12 other truck drivers were prosecuted at the court for 19 traffic offences and were all found guilty of the charges.  In Ogun State, 27 truck drivers arrested by various patrol teams on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway were charged to mobile court in Sagamu, Ogun State for offences ranging from unsecured containers on trucks, dangerous driving, driving with worn-out tyres and driving without valid drivers’ licence.

    Out of the 27 drivers, 22 were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment while five were discharged and acquitted by the court.

  • No going back on Sept. 1 speed limiter deadline, says FRSC

    No going back on Sept. 1 speed limiter deadline, says FRSC

    Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Corps Marshal Boboye Oyeyemi has said there is no going back on the September 1 deadline on the speed limiter for commercial vehicles.

    The enforcement will be nationwide. Opeyemi spoke at the opening of the maiden edition of the four-day training organised by the Corps.

    The yearly event was for members of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) chapter of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas workers (NUPENG). It took place at White Sand, Orile-Iganmu, Lagos, trailer park.

    Oyeyemi said:“With the use of this device, especially by commercial vehicles, speed-related accidents are expected to be reduced to the barest,” oyeyemi said.

    Similar training with the theme: “Drivers certification for safety on wheels,” was held at trailer parks at Ogere, Ogun State, Eiye-Nkorin, Kwara State and Suleja and Taffa, in Niger State.

    The training also held at Mararaba in Jos, Calabar, Port Harcourt, Lukpanta, Warri, Oghara and Benin.

    He said efforts by the PTD to promote safety consciousness among its members, especially given the unenviable accident-prone status of most tankers and trailers on the roads.

    “The training, which would focus on specialised knowledge for drivers to ensure they comply with international best practices, would complement the intensive patrol, and strict enforcement of traffic regulations as well as robust public enlightenment programme being pursued by the Corps to bring the situation under control,” Oyeyemi said.

    Oyeyemi said it would go a long way in erasing the uneviable statistics, which indicate that over 120 lives were lost and several people injured between March and July, in crashes involving tankers and trailers.

    He said the record also showed that tankers/trailers accounted for over 22 percent of the vehicles involved in crashes since 2012. A sizeable percentage of victims, he said, fall within the productive age bracket of the national population. The development negatively affects the nation’s economic growth.

    Soliciting for continued support to make the roads safer, he said the FRSC was committed to attaining 50 per cent reduction in road crashes and fatalities by end of the year as contained in the Accra Declaration of 2007, and the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020.

    He advised truck drivers to fix retro-reflective tapes on their vehicle, ensure the vehicles are fitted with good brakes and tyres before setting out on  journey. He noted that the corps would no longer allow rickety vehicles on the highways and underage drivers (below 27 years), or anyone without a valid drivers’ licence, to drive.

    The PTD National Chairman, Comrade Salmon Oladiti, said the training became imperative because of the increasing involvement of tankers in accidents with attendant loss of lives and properties.

    He praised the FRSC for providing technical support for the training, adding that the training was another demonstration of PTD leadership and members commitment to quality services.

    The training, he said, will be regular and hold at locations where tanker drivers meet, socialise and rest. It will be carried out and certified by the institution responsible for safety on the highways and address the three major components of tanker driving —“skill, health and ethics.”

    He urged tanker drivers to cooperate to make the road safer for other road users.

    Oladiti appealed to Major Oil and Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) and Private Petroleum Depot Owners of Nigeria (PPDON) to support the training and retraining of tanker drivers to make the roads safer.

    NUPENG President Igwe Achese said the training would enable the corps and stakeholders ensure, henceforth, an improvement in the driving culture of tanker drivers.

    “The training centred on safe driving and vehicle maintenance and the development is expected to reduce carnage on our roads,” Achese said.

    He urged drivers to always embark on defensive driving when on the wheels and to be ambassadors of safety of lives and property.

    He said: “Any driver that drives and arrives at destination is a good driver.” He urged them to ensure they possessed a valid drivers’ licence to be free from harassment.

    “We are very happy with the resolution of the union that any tanker without speed limiter device will not be allowed to load at any depot in the country.