The Nation Newspaper

Tag: FRSC

  • Mob attacks FRSC secretariat in Bayelsa

    Mob attacks FRSC secretariat in Bayelsa

    Scores of angry commercial tricycle operators attacked the secretariat of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, yesterday.

    The mob hauled stones and other objects at the building breaking its windows and glass doors.

    They torched some patrol vans and damaged a generating set.

    The conference hall, the office of the Sector Head, Operations, Faustus Kalu and the Duty Office, were destroyed

    Pieces of broken doors and glass littered the surroundings of the building.

    The mob was protesting the alleged involvement of a patrol team in an accident that killed two children and injured another.

    The victims, children of Magnus Dike, were being conveyed home in a tricycle by their father after school on Friday.

    Tricycle operators claimed that some corps marshals pursued the tricycle, thereby causing the accident that led to the children‘s death.

    The victims -a two-year-old girl died on the spot, her four-year-old brother died  in the hospital; their elder sister, 14  – is recuperating in the hospital.

    It took the intervention of  Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) officials and the police to stop the violence.

    The Sector Commander, Vincent Jack, said the FRSC’s Chief Executive, Chidoka Osita, has set up a team to probe the incident.

    Jack said he was out of the state when the incident occurred; he noted that it was an offence for any patrol team to pursue a fleeing vehicle.

    The sector commander asked residents to remain calm and wait for the report of the investigation, adding that everybody involved in the incident would be called to testify.

    He said the patrol team, which allegedly caused the accident, was led by a seasoned corps marshal.

    Narrating his men’s side of the story, Jack said: “The tricyclist was speeding so he would not be arrested by the patrol team.

    “At that point, a Toyota Matrix was making a u-turn. The tricyclist ran into the vehicle but the driver did not stop. The patrol team members decided to go after the vehicle.

    “At that point, other tricyclists blocked the patrol van. They accused the team of killing the victims.

    “The protesters were brandishing weapons and this made the patrol team flee.

    “The next report l got was that tricyclists came here and started destroying government property.

    “They shattered glasses and patrol cars and were threatening to kill my men.”

     

  • Cornerstone partners FRSC on accidents eradication

    Cornerstone partners FRSC on accidents eradication

    orried by the high rate of road accidents and the vulnerability of children and young people, Cornerstone Insurance Plc has entered into a bilateral partnership with the Lagos Zone RS2 Headquarters of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) to check the menace and its attendant fatality.

    Acting Zonal Commanding Officer John Meheux, who spoke at the inauguration of the Safe Route to School road initiative of insurance firm in partnership with FRSC, said the deal is in line with the commission’s mission statement and pillars of decade of action on promotion of stakeholders co-operations as articulated in its corporate strategic goal 2013.

    Meheux said the  project was initiated by Cornerstone as an integral part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) with 2013 as a pilot phase.

    He said the Command entered into a five-year project implementation understanding with the firm with the concept for each year to be designed and implemented by the two bodies in line with the biddings of the corps and the strategic goal for the year.

    He noted that the project was designed with the laudable objectives of carrying the messages of road safety through motor parks, media advocacy like radio, TV and print media and handbills with series of road shows, all structured towards community based advocacy.

    He added that the implementation of the pilot phase which started with inaugural rally in April, last year started with a road show and consummated with motor park rally with the theme “Stay alive, prevent road crashes: Your intervention can make a difference”.

    He said: “It is my strong belief that the various successes recorded in the rallies and other advocacies, formed part of the achievements of the Zone in reducing road traffic crashes by 33.7 per cent as against the 2013 strategic goal mandate of 20.

    “Road accidents are the highest threat and have a tremendous impact on children and young people. Globally, road accidents are the leading cause of death for young people aged between 10 and 24 years, and is predicted that by 2015, it would be the leading cause of premature death and disability for children in developing countries from age five and above (WHO). It is therefore no coincidence that the UN Third Global Road Safety Week held in all FRSC formations, and in the 187 United Nation member countries had as its theme “Keeping Children Safe on the Roads”.

    “Our collaboration with Cornerstone Insurance for 2014 has as its theme ‘Safe Route to School’. This theme is very apt and is in keeping with global thinking. All children have a right to safe walk to and from school, markets, hospitals, places of worship, among others.

    He explained that FRSC Zone 2 comprising Lagos and Ogun states would assign Road Guard Marshals to assist our children cross the roads at designated points near their schools at peak periods between 7 am to 9 am and 12 noon – 2 pm and also teach our children on how best to use Zebra crossings, foot bridges, and other road signage, using the Road Safety Clubs in schools.

    Meheux encouraged other stakeholders to emulate the efforts of Cornerstone and appealed to all and sundry to ensure that school children and indeed all children are protected when they go to and back from school.

    General Manager, Cornerstone Insurance, Mrs Yinka Adekoya, said the company care about the environment and the community and the constant pursuit for innovative ways to respond to society’s biggest challenges drives their approach to corporate social responsibility (CSR).

    She said: “For instance, we are worried and disturbed by the soaring rates of road accidents in the country. In fact an account shows that road crashes claim more lives that HIV/AIDS and Malaria combined in Nigeria. This is a big challenge that requires both conscious and collective efforts.

    “Usually, as an insurer, you insure and you pay when people die; but for us the real test is: We don’t want people to die. We want people to live happily; we don’t want people to be maimed as an aftermath of road crashes. This is why we felt it is an opportunity to partner with one of the most credible agencies in the road safety value chain to touch lives and minimise the impact of road crashes.

    “This year, we are turning our attention to an important segment of the society; and that is the children. The kids are the most vulnerable member of the society, a respectable number of them walk to school every day under challenging circumstances, safety wise.”

    She said there is a report that a child is knocked down every other day en route to school by unwary driver and that 80 of children related causalities can be linked to lack of adequate safety road signs.

    “This is what informs the ‘Safe Route 2 School’ CSR project. From today into the next few months, we would be activating scores of schools across Lagos State. The plan is to put in place illuminated safety signs and zebra crossing markings with on the spot safety sensitisation on the use- of these facilities. The- exciting part of the- project is that, nomination of school for activation is opened to the public. If you want your school nominated; all you are required to do is to log on to our website.

    “Beyond this, we have also provided additional platform to give everyone the opportunity to take part in this project. If you want to endorse this project, please do not miss the opportunity to sign on to the pledge to help the children get to school safely. This banner would be on tour across Lagos. This way, we hope to speak to the inner persons of as much number as we contact to commit to the safety of a Nigerian child,” she said.

  • Niger Tornadoes humble Feeders

    Niger Tornadoes humble Feeders

    • Set for collision against Road safety

    By Julius Okorie

    Niger Tornadoes FC has dethroned its feeder team with a 3-1 triumph at the state FA cup final played at the Bako Kontagora Memorial, Minna, Sunday.

    Mohammed Ndayebo capitalised on the defensive error of Tornadoes Feeder side in the 24th minute to open score for the NNL side.

    Tornadoes preparing ahead of their week 14 match against FRSC Abuja for Keffi Wednesday rested most of their first team players.

    A good combination of play allowed Aliyu Jandi to have a grip to calmly beat their Feeder’s goalkeeper, Benjamin Osagie for the second goal in the 33rd minute.

    Suleiman Abdusalam put back the Feeder team in the 78th minute but their hard fighting spirit was short lived with the 80th minute goal scored by Babawo Ibrahim.

    Tornadoes Coach, Hamza Abdulazeez said both teams gave account of themselves.

    Coach Azeez said that though the main stream Tornadoes had won, the feeder were not a push over, adding that both teams would be good representatives of the state in the Federation Cup.

    He commended the challenge put forward by the feeder as they demonstrated good football, adding that the team will go far in the FA Cup.

  • Two corps members killed

    Two corps members killed

    Two corps members were killed in Jigawa State yesterday when a truck ran into their motorcycle. A third victim is on life support in the hospital.

    The State Commandant of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Amin Umar, said: “The accident occurred on G9 road at 10am. The corps members were on a motorcycle. They fell along the road and a truck coming behind crushed them.”

    The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) spokesman, Alex Obemeata, said the corps member were on their way to the Federal University Dutse (FUD) for their monthly clearance.

    He said Mustafa Sufi, who studied Accounting and Finance at East London University and Muktar Abubakar who studied Business Administration at Cafe Briton University, died on the spot.

    Haruna Ahmad, who studied Human Resource Management at New Castle University, is receiving treatment at Rahid Shekoni Special Hospital.

  • FRSC to marshals: Extort motorists, face dismissal

    Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) on Wednesday read the Riot Act to its officers and marshals, warning them to desist from extortion of motorists or face dismissal.
    The Assistant Corps Marshal, In-charge of Command’s Administration and Operations, Headquarters, Mr. Ademola Lawal, said the commission would not shield any of its employees caught aiding and abetting extortion.
    Lawal gave the warning in Yenagoa while addressing officers and marshals of Bayelsa State Command as part of his tour to commands in his zone.
    Lawal said, “FRSC has been described as a good example of a lead agency. We do not want officers and marshals that do not want to key into the Corps standards and ethical requirements.
    “In the area of extortion for instance, you won’t tell me that you do not know that FRSC has zero tolerance for extortion. Let me reiterate here that anyone caught extorting motorists will be shown the way out of the organisation.
    “Those collecting money on the highway are collecting blood money. It is ungodly and it won’t help you. Above all, when you are caught, you will be dismissed.”
    He further warned patrol officers, saying marshals could only extort members of the public with their complicity.
    The ACM urged them to key into the Corps’ 2014 corporate strategic goals formulated to realise the mandate of the commission.

  • FRSC calls for standard motor parks

    FRSC calls for standard motor parks

    The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) yesterday called for remodeling and reconstruction of motor parks across the country, especially in the North to discourage terrorists from using them to launch their attacks.

    The Bayelsa State Commander, FRSC, Vincent Jack, gave the recommendation when he paid a courtesy visit to the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General of Bayelsa State, Mr. Wodu Kemasuode, in Yenagao.

    He condemned the bombing of Nyanya motor park in Abuja which killed over 70 persons and left many others injured, but lamented the porosity of motor parks in the country.

    Jack said state governments should begin reconstruction of parks to bring them to the expected standard.

    In the face of deadly attacks by terrorists, he noted that parks should be built with some security features to check the movement of vehicles and people.

    According to him if the Nyanya motor park were fenced with its entry and exit points secured by the road transport union, it would have been difficult for terrorists to use it as a base to launch the deadly attack.

    “If the park were a standard one, the people who use it would have been able to notice strange occurrences. They would have sighted the car-laden bomb and raised the alarm. The government should assist in building standard motor parks”, he said.

    Jack further asked the ministry to establish a traffic court in the state to facilitate the prosecution of traffic offenders.

    He also called for a law on child safety adding that most parents risk the lives of their children while driving.

    Kemasuode, one of the new commissioners in Governor Seriake Dickson’s cabinet, said the government would take every necessary steps to protect the lives of the citizens.

    Aknowleding that the state has some traffic problems, he said his ministry had already started discussing a bill that would deal with traffic management.

    He said the bill if drafted and approved by the governor would be sent to the state House of Assembly for deliberation and passage.

    He said all the traffic problems in the state including issues of child safety would be dealt with in the proposed bill.

    Kemasuode thanked Jack for the visit and promised to maintain a good relationship with the commission.

    “Some of the traffic problems have increased since the restoration government turned the state to a massive construction site. That has also added more responsibilities to the FRSC. But we will do everything to make sure that our roads are free”, he said.

  • 31 die in road accidents in three months, says FRSC

    31 die in road accidents in three months, says FRSC

    Thirty-one persons died in 87 road accidents in Lagos State from January to March, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said yesterday in Lagos.

    The state Sector Commander, Mr Chidi Nkwonta, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that 160 people were injured during the period.

    “The command recorded 87 road crashes in which 31 people died.

    “Also, during the period, 160 people were injured,” he said.

    According to him, the command recorded 32 crashes in January alone with 15 dead and 63 injured.

    Nkwonta said 10 deaths were recorded in 24 crashes in February with 46 persons injured.

    He said: “For instance, in March, we recorded 57 victims in 31 crashes with six persons dead and 51 injured.”

    The sector commader said the command inspected over 26,365 vehicles on the highways to ensure their road-worthiness, adding that 3, 078 motorists were cautioned.

    “We stopped 8,879 drivers in January; 9,155 in February and 8,331 in March for road worthiness inspections, while 1,169; 1,043 and 866 drivers were cautioned in January, February and March,” Nkwonta said.

    He listed the major roads on which his men operated as the Lagos-Ibadan, the Lagos-Abeokuta, the Lekki-Epe and Lagos-Badagry highways.

    The FRSC chief stressed the need for continuous public enlightenment and rallies at motor parks on road safety campaigns.

    On the Easter festival, the sector commander urged road users to obey traffic regulations, adding that special patrols had begun to ensure an accident-free season.

    “Speeding, dangerous driving and over loading of vehicles should be avoided as they cause accidents on the highways,” Nkwonta said.

  • Easter: FRSC deploys 455 patrol vehicles, 34,000 personnel

    Easter: FRSC deploys 455 patrol vehicles, 34,000 personnel

    The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has deployed 455 patrol vehicles, 66 ambulances, 102 motor bikes, 12 tow trucks and over 34,000 personnel on designated routes.

    The move is among the corps’ measures to ensure sanity on the nation’s highways during this year’s Easter celebration.

    The FRSC explained that its nationwide patrol includes a massive deployment of personnel and logistics on 23 designated critical corridors and black spots identified for this exercise.

    This is besides the corps’ 24 emergency ambulance response centres located at designated routes. These include the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Kaduna, Gombe, Jigawa, Taraba, Niger, Kogi, Ondo, Edo, Osun, Nasarawa, Plateau and Kwara states, which will be complemented by relevant security outfits.

    A statement by the corps’ Education Officer Jonas Agwu said the operational road map for a crash-free 2014 Easter celebration, tagged: Operation Easter 2014, would reduce road crashes by 15 per cent and fatalities by 25 per cent.

    The FRSC said this year’s nationwide exercise was necessary to reduce road crashes, usually attributed to the perennial rise in the violation of traffic rules and regulations, especially during festive seasons.

  • FRSC fights drunk-driving in Anambra

    FRSC fights drunk-driving in Anambra

    For three days Anambra State was abuzz with the campaign to end drunk-driving. Officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) stormed the state with motorbikes and a road-show motorcade, freely handing out leaflets to road users. As the leaflets literally flew around, the officers, using the public address system, consistently appealed to motorists not drive drunk. There was a lot of dance too.

    The mega campaign was sponsored by Guinness Nigeria Limited, while the Anambra Sector Command was chosen to kick-start the event. The target was the Easter celebrations, a time when road crashes tend to increase apparently because of festivity fever.

    Since then, the only phrase that hits motorists’ ears is “Don’t drive drunk”.

    That event was so important that the Corps Commander, Hyginus Omeje, the state sector commander, invited the Zonal Commanding Officer, RS5HQ, Benin, ACM Nseobong C. Akpabio to witness the campaign.

    The mega-campaign which started about 1pm from Aroma Roundabout with Akpabio and Omeje leading over 200 participants, including the sponsors, staff, special marshals, NYSC members and the media.

    They did a 15-kilometer walk from Aroma Roundabout through Amaku General Hospital Gate 1 and 2, Eke Awka Market, Ukwu Orji junction, Nigeria Prisons junction, Amawbia Roundabout (Old Awka-Onitsha road), Nwalusi junction and back to the Sector Command.

    Safety tips fliers, branded T-shirts, branded bottled water cans were distributed to the public.

    At Amawbia Roundabout, the Zonal Commanding Officer ACM Akpabio spoke to Okada riders and drivers of fleet operators on the dangers of drunk driving and equally conducted a breath test for alcohol with the aid of an Aqualizer.

    Addressing the participants at the end of the walk, the Sector Head PE and PROT, ACC Chinelo Ezekwesili appreciated the Zonal Commanding Officer and the sector commander Omeje as well as other participants for the time and effort put to make the Mega Rally a huge success.

    Omeje thanked the Zonal Commanding Officer for initiating the event and bringing sponsors down to hold the first phase in Anambra State. He reiterated the Command’s commitment to duty which has resulted in the Command consistently leading other commands in the Zone for three years running.

    Akpabio appreciated all that participated in the event, adding that the essence of the road show was to enlighten the public on road safety before and during the Easter period. He said the event was timely and a success, judging from the response and turnout.

    He thanked the management of Guinness Nigeria Limited for sponsoring the programme and urged other stakeholders to live up to their civic responsibility of partnering with the Corps to actualise its mandate of eradicating crashes on our roads.

    The Unit Commander RS5.31 Onitsha, ACC Anthony C Metta in his vote of thanks appreciated the Zonal Commander for initiating the project and thanked all that participated but thanked God for the success recorded and prayed for journey mercies to all as they go back to their respective place of abode.

    The FRSC said it would digitalise all its records in 2014 in order to improve its operational and statistical competence.

    Chidoka, FRSC Corps Marshal, who disclosed this to newsmen in Onitsha after delivering road safety leaflets to motorists at the Niger Bridge, noted that very soon record of motorists would follow them anywhere they go in the country since access of each motorist particulars would be a click away through an online data base.

    Chidoka said: “This is an important year for us in FRSC; it is a year of education and enforcement. We are moving our operations from the manual form to the digital form and people’s records would follow them anywhere in the country. I would advise road users to respect road rules and know that whatever offence or offences they commit; it would go along with them.

    “And FRSC is poised to protect the people who obey the rules on the road and punish those who disobey them,” he said.

    The corps marshal also noted that “Peace Ambassadors numbers” were fake, adding, “We have made series of announcement for those who have it to return them and then register their vehicles with the right numbers’’.

    “They are not produced by us and we do not know where they come from,” he stressed.

    Chidoka also said that there had been reduction in road crashes as well as people injured and death resulting from the crashes in the country in 2013 compared with the previous three years.

    “However, we are yet to compile our statistics for the year; but from the day-to-day records; there had been a reduction,” he said.

    He revealed that with the on-going issuance of convoy drivers with the new convey drivers’ licence; the commission would be able to track-down each individual convey driver.

    “And with this, we would be able to punish any of them that goes contrary to the traffic rules and put them in effective check,” he added.

    The leaflets are with the flowing inscriptions: “Mother/Child Safer Awareness”; “Safer Roads, Fuller Lives” and “Avoid Over-loading and Over-Speeding”.

    However, the Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, Anambra State Command, Hyginus Uche Omeje has lauded the former Anambra State Governor, Mr Peter Obi for his positive relationship and assistance to federal agencies in the state.

    Omeje made this commendation after the former governor presented a Ford Ranger Truck and Chevrolet Life Ambulance vehicles to the FRSC in Awka at the twilight of his administration and called on the incumbent to do more for the FRSC as they are set to give their best to the state.

    The Sector Commander noted that all other federal agencies domiciled in Anambra State like the Army, Police, Civil Defence Corps and the State Security Service   have all received enormous assistance from the Obi administration in the past which have made their operations less cumbersome.

    He noted that the donation to the road safety command will help them in rescuing accident victims in line with latest international standards while they can easily access the nooks and crannies of the state with the vehicles owing to the good network of roads already created in the state by the Obi administration.

    Omeje thanked Obi and Obiano for fulfilling his promises to the command while assuring his continued commitment for the reduction of road crashes in the state.

    Omeje lamented that about 107 people reportedly died in road crashes between December 19 and 23 last year in the country, adding that the World Bank has rated the FRSC, under the leadership of Chidoka, the best in the world.

    He commended the helicopter surveillance of major roads in the country, and his patriotism, dedication and commitment in discharging his duties which all other staff of the corps is emulating.

    Chidoka himself had at one of his visits commended the Head of Department, Special Marshal and Partnership, Victor Nwokolo, Zonal Commanding Officer, Zone 5 Benin, Nseobong Akpabio and Anambra State Sector Commander, Hyginus Omeje among others for their support to him to make his job easier hence available records so far obtained shows that there is a reduction in number of deaths and crashes in 2013 compared to year 2012, hoping there would be greater improvement in 2014.

    The Corps Marshall had attributed the corps success recorded during the yuletide from the heavy duty trucks they received from the world bank , commitment of the officers and synergy between other law  enforcement agents which has ensured the achievement of  President Jonathan’s directive to the command to ensure that road travelers were not unduly delayed.

    Chidoka said no fewer than 1.3 million people die annually through road traffic crashes worldwide.

    He said that unless immediate and effective action is taken, road traffic injuries are to become the fifth leading cause of death in the world resulting in an estimated 2.4 million deaths each year.

    The Corps Marshal called on churches to include Road Safety Enlightenment programmes as part of their worship activities.

    “Road traffic crashes are caused by certain actions we take on our highways and while the church remains prayerful, there is also the need for us to obey traffic rules and regulations.

    “Praying and driving on used tyres (tokunbo) at 130km per hour is like tempting God.

    “We should keep to the speed limit, fasten our seat belt and maintain our vehicles regularly.

    “Let us avoid wrongful and dangerous overtaking, overloading and use of phones while driving” he said.

    In that spirit, the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) Club under Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), distributed fifty (50) helmets free to Okada riders for their safety recently.

    Cadet in Chief FRSC/ NYSC Club Onitsha Unit Command, Corper Ayomide said the aim of the sensitization was to protect the riders head in preventing and reducing head injury in order to save the rider’s life.

     

  • FRSC promises safety

    FRSC promises safety

    The sector commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ekiti State, Mr R.T. Kumven, has promised adequate patrol of roads leading to EKSU to prevent accidents.

    He made the pledge when he visited the Vice-chancellor, Prof Oladipo Aina, with some officers.

    Kumven further thanked the Vice-Chancellor for donating a car to special marshals on campus and asked for more support from the university.

    The Vice-Chancellor promised to continue to support the Road Safety personnel in preventing accidents and untimely deaths.

    All special Marshals in the university accompanied the Road Safety boss to the Vice-Chancellor’s office.