The Nation Newspaper

Tag: FRSC

  • RCCG Congress: FRSC deploys men to ease traffic

    RCCG Congress: FRSC deploys men to ease traffic

    The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has deployed its officers, as well as patrol and towing vehicles, to manage traffic during the Annual Holy Ghost Congress of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

    The congress, which began on Monday and will end on Saturday, is holding at the Redemption Camp at Km.46 of the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway.

    FRSC Zonal Commanding Officer, Zone 2, Ademola Lawal, told reporters yesterday that the commission had mapped out plans to ensure free-flow of traffic around the camp during the programme.

    Lawal, whose zone comprises Lagos and Ogun, said about 100 officers, including Special Marshals, and six patrol teams had been deployed, to ensure free-flow of traffic.

    He urged motorists to obey traffic laws, warning that offenders would be penalised.

     

    “Our office has been contacted to ease traffic on the route and we are ready for the event. We have mobilised about 100 personnel, six patrol teams and two power bikes for the event.

    “We cannot be caught unawares as we are on top of the situation. We urge road users to obey traffic regulations because traffic offences will attract penalties.

    “Drivers should avoid dangerous driving, use of phones while driving, illegal parking and other actions that are inimical to safety,” Lawal added.

     

  • 10 APGA members feared dead in auto crash

    Ten people were yesterday feared dead in an accident, which occurred at Enyiogugu on the Owerri/Umuahia Road in Imo State.

    The victims were said to be members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), who were going for a rally in Owerri.

    According to an eyewitness, a Mercedes Benz lorry, whose driver was speeding, lost control and rammed into an L300 bus, which was conveying the APGA supporters.

    The state Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Yusuf Salami, who confirmed the accident, said only one person died on the spot, while 13 others survived with serious injuries.

    He warned motorists against over speeding and dangerous driving during the Yuletide.

  • LAWMA truck kills worker

    LAWMA truck kills worker

    A truck belonging to the Lagos Waste Management Authourity (LAWMA) yesterday killed one of its workers on duty.

    It was gathered that the man was in one of the trucks operated by a Private Sector Participation (PSP) operator.

    The accident occurred about 7am, causing the PSP truck to overturn, killing the LAWMA worker instantly. But three other occupants of the ill-fated truck escaped unhurt.

    Eyewitnesses said the accident occurred at the Car Wash bus stop, Egbeda/Idimu Road, Lagos, adding that it was caused by commercial bus drivers who stopped to pick passengers along the road at unauthorised bus stops.

    It was gathered that as soon as the truck overturned, the deceased, identified as Idowu, was caught under, with part of his body, from his chest, cut into halves and buried under the truck.

    The accident was said to have occurred as its driver tried to avoid ramming into two commercial buses, filled with passengers.

    The Nation learnt that the commercial drivers were said to be struggling to overtake each other at the bus stop, to pick passengers.

    The accident caused a gridlock, which spilled over to Iyana-Ipaja, Isheri, Igando, and Iyana-Oba among others.

    Commuters were forced to alight from the buses and take to trekking to their various destinations.

    Operatives of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), the police and LAWMA stormed the scene to clear the remains of the deceased and the truck.

    Two cranes were later brought to move the truck off the deceased’s body.

    Some of the LAWMA officials who knew the deceased broke down in tears at the sight of his remains.

    One of them, Mrs Aminu-Odukoya, a field supervisor, said Idowu was one of the officials collecting refuse from residents whenever the PSP truck stopped at refuse points.

    She said she was pained that nobody was able to identify the buses that caused the accidents. Apparently, both buses took off immediately the accident occurred.

    They had stopped to pick bags of refuse and were about driving off when the accident occurred.

    Another LAWMA official, Mr Olakunle Agenjo, said: “This Car Wash is not a bus stop. This accident happened at about 7am. The PSP truck had stopped to pick refuse and was about to drive away when the accident happened. A commercial bus came and parked in its front, picking passengers; another one parked at the back of the truck, also picking passengers.

    “Suddenly, as the truck was about to continue its journey, the commercial bus at the back drove fast and attempted to overtake the one at the front. But the one at the front would not allow it. In the confusion, the truck would have run into them, and it would have led to the death of so many people, which was why the driver attempted to steer the truck over the culvert. The truck overturned and our man turned with it and he was killed.”

  • Abuja, FRSC campaign against road carnage

    Abuja, FRSC campaign against road carnage

    The FCT sector comprising the 8,000-square-kilometre Federal Capital Territory and its three major entry and exit highways currently has the highest fatality rate in the country resulting from road traffic crashes (RTC). These facts emerged when the chairman of the Governing Board of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Mr. Felix Chukwu led members of the board on a courtesy call to the Minister of FCT, Senator Bala Mohammed at his conference hall.

    The Minister was represented by the FCT Permanent Secretary, Mr. John Chukwu, an engineer.

    To stem the unsavoury trend, the Minister directed that the FCT Administration and the FRSC enhance their synergy towards reducing the high accident rate in the FCT especially during the current ember months of the year.

    Senator Bala Mohammed decried the high rate of accidents on the FCT roads which is said to be among the highest in the country. He however attributed the high accident rate to the high quality of roads within the Territory which makes driving more pleasurable, tempting and susceptible to over-speeding.

    He further called for more effective use of pedestrian bridges where available stressing that concerted efforts were on to complete the ongoing construction of more pedestrian bridges in the Federal Capital City . The bridges are being built through collaboration between the World Bank, the FCT Administration and the Federal Ministry of Works.

    The FRSC Governing Board Chairman, Felix Chukwu attributed the high accident rate in FCT sector to the excellent state of its roads which tempt many motorists to over-speed. He cautioned motorists plying the ever busy routes in and out of Abuja to always adhere to speed limits. He identified the accident prone routes as the ever busy Abuja-Gwagwalada-Yangoji-Abaji-Lokoja axis, Abuja-Nyanya-Keffi axis and Abuja-Zuba-Sabon Wuse-Kateri-Kakau-Kaduna axis as well as the city.

     

  • One die, 11 injured in Osogbo road accident

    The driver of a Mazda 2000 commercial bus, marked Lagos XL 463 MSN, has died in an accident on the Gbongan road in Owode, near Osogbo, Osun State.

    Eleven people were critically injured.

    The accident occurred on Sunday evening.

    An eyewitness said one of the bus’ rear tyres burst and the vehicle somersaulted twice.

    The Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Mr. Imoh Etuk, said the injured had been taken to the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Teaching Hospital and the State Hospital, Asubiaro, both in Osogbo.

    He said the driver’s body had been deposited at the morgue of the LAUTECH Teaching Hospital.

  • FRSC organises ‘safety cautions’ awareness in schools

    FRSC organises ‘safety cautions’ awareness in schools

    The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has implored road users to exercise road cautiousness to avoid incessant road crashes.

    The Agbado Unit Commander Mr Babatunde Farinloye, made the plea at the inauguration of Road Safety Clubs in some private schools within Agbado area in Ogun State.

    Farinloye spoke through the FRSC Head of Special marshals and Partnership’s Coordinator, Mrs Adejoke Fadairo.

    The event was organised by the Akute, Ajuwon, Alagbole and Ojodu districts of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), in conjunction with FRSC, Agbado Unit Command at Breakthrough Academy, Akute in Ogun State.

    Farinloye enlightened the pupils on some highway rules, especially when crossing over.

    “Watch both left and right and be sure of safety before crossing the road. When you are crossing over the road in a group, you must always arrange yourselves with respect to your heights. For instance, let the tallest person should be behind to watch in every direction should there be any imminent danger before you all cross to the other side,” Farinloye said.

    He warned the pupils to avoid undue recklessness, use of cell phones, listening to music through earpiece, and backing traffic while on the roads, in addition to riding on motorcycle without wearing a helmet.

    Farinloye added: “Always remind your parents and guardians inspect their vehicles before embarking on any journey. Advise them to imbibe defensive driving culture and respect traffic rules and regulations.

    The NAPPS Chairperson, Mrs Temitope Oyebisi, urged other private schools to key into the initiative, saying it would reduce road crashes.

    One of the participants, a pupil of Abundant Grace Private School, Adeyeye Oluwakemi, called on motorists to stop improper vehicle maintenance which is a major factor in road accidents.

     

  • The Death of two ‘Mikes’ –Olatawura and Akhigbe. Lagos Ibadan a disgrace to govt

    Everyone dead or retired in Nigeria is a colossus, iconoclastic, a great leader or a mega-professional or even a good politician. In spite of this epidemic of icons in politics, medicine, education, engineering and the civil service, why are we in this mess? Perhaps ‘the guilty are not yet dead’? The press should deny them airtime unless it is for an apology and restitution. Why do we ask yesterday’s political failures about solutions to problems today created by them yesterday?

    Certainly we know the sterling psychiatry, medical, administrative, social and family qualities of late Professor Mike Oludare Olatawura of the Olatawura dynasty, famous in many areas including judicial and medical circles as attested to by his family, students, colleagues and various governments and me who was a medical student back in those days in UCH. He was humility and efficiency personified and must have been very bemused, if good manners denied him comments, at the level to which security buffers, officiousness and even ‘official viciousness’ have built up in areas where when he was in-post as Chief Medical Director, UCH, he operated a ‘few guards, open door-come let us chat’ policy. Of course there were fewer threats by touts, NURTW members, Okada unions and Boko Haram members on hospital staff then. His brother was a very distinguished incorruptible jurist who in his early legal life joined Samuel Oladele Ige, Bola Ige and Omotayo Onalaja and Moronfolu Olakunrin in defending Soyinka against charges of ‘robbery-stealing two tapes, with violence’ and being ‘the mysterious gunman at National Broadcasting House, Ibadan’ before Mr Justice Kayode Eso in November 1965. Though young then, they all went on to become distinguished in professional and political circles.

    Then there is late Vice Admiral and Vice President Mike Akhigbe under Abdusalam Abubakar when Abiola was to be considered for release, or so we naively thought. One Sunday I was visiting Uncle Bola Ige, as usual with great men, minions like myself were happy to merely breathing the nearby air and being ‘recognised’ as acolyte material. I do not remember why I was there as I ran a pretty busy schedule. Anyway the phone rang. Uncle Bola spoke briefly and agreed to go to Lagos the following day. He hung up and said he had been talking to Akhigbe, Number 2 in the military government. He had no driver for the next day being a Sunday and it was pre-cellphone days. I immediately offered my services as Sunday was free for me also. I picked Uncle Bola up on Sunday and drove him to Lagos, discussing what the options and brainstorming on the possible outcomes. Imagine me in an endgame discussion with Uncle Bola. We were interrupted by a solitary FRSC man who flagged us down for ‘nothing in particulars’ and proceeded to check everything in the car including the resident cockroach –perhaps an illegal passenger. Tired of the game which should have been over in a minute and after the particulars had been checked, the FRSC man was asked or went voluntarily to the passenger side where his jaw dropped to see an Ex-Governor of Oyo State and a founding father of FRSC in the passenger seat of a middle-aged 504 station wagon. He leapt to attention, returned my particulars and motioned us off, but not until after Uncle Bola said ‘We did not initiate the FRSC for ‘particulars check’ but for safe driving. Were we driving unsafely?’ We drove off planning that Uncle Bola would ask for Abiola to first see his family members and then the politicians he also wished to see and the final release should be expedited and come within a day or two.

    Once at Flagstaff House, Queens Drive, Ikoyi, the gates were thrown open and we entered. Akhigbe came into the sitting room without escort and after I was introduced, Uncle Bola was led away by Akhigbe for private discussions. I, back in my role as designated driver, watched big screen TV till Uncle Bola came out and off we went. The Expressway still lived up to its name and we were back in Ibadan in a timely manner. Akhigbe got government to do as our discussions had recommended but things went one step further. Chief MKO Abiola who may have let his guard down in the euphoria of impending release, was apparently assassinated by methods unknown but suspected from eyewitness and newspaper quotes to involve a teacup, lipstick or skin-absorbed poison while among other things receiving a delegation of American friends including Pickering and a Rice. So much for democracy. Since then Uncle Bola has himself been murdered. Even the expressway has deteriorated to an endurance course track. God has provided him with answers to all the murders Uncle Bola would care to enquire about including his own and my first cousin Funso Williams, governorship candidate of Lagos State. People say ‘Better alive than a dead street named after them’. But ‘Thanks’ again to Governor Fashola for the important message and gesture in ‘Funso Williams Avenue’.

    As we leave their graves, imagine the conversation between Uncle Bola and the two Mikes – Akhigbe and Olatawura – on the other side of life. It would make Wikileaks headlines.

    Meanwhile we face the tragedy called the Lagos-Ibadan road-a testament to ministry and federal PDP government 1999-2013 so far. Who will stop impatient drivers overtaking on the sides?

  • Truck crushes expectant mother, others to death

    Tears flowed freely at Oshodi Bus Stop in Lagos yesterday as an expectant mother, her unborn baby and four other women were crushed to death by a sand-laden truck.

    The truck belonging to a church lost control after its brake failed and ran into a garage near the Oshodi bridge on the way to Apapa where the women stood.

    The truck ran into three other vehicles before hitting the women. The impact forced out the foetus of the expectant mother.

    Angry youths and social miscreants rushed to the scene, barricaded the road and attempted to torch the truck.

    They wanted to lynch the driver, who attempted to flee before he was rescued by policemen from the nearby Makinde Division.

    Eyewitnesses said the truck was descending the bridge at Oshodi but lost control as it was approaching the service lane.

    The driver ran into a motor park and a market near the service lane.

    Commuters at the bus ran to avoid being hit. Traders who abandoned their wares and ran came back to meet them destroyed.

    Mr Samuel Ogundayo, the Oshodi Unit Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, said 19 people were involved in the accident.

    “A tipper had a brake failure; 19 people were involved but eight died instantly.

    “They have been taken to the General Hospital in Ikeja and the Oshodi Health Centre,’’ Ogundayo said.

    An official of the Lagos State Transport Management Authority, who pleaded anonymity, said five persons died and five were injured.

    He said the bodies had been deposited at the General Hospital and the wounded taken to the Trauma Centre in Oshodi.

    The State Police Command spokesperson, Ngozi Braide, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), said: “Today, at exactly 1200 hours, a fatal motor accident occurred at Oshodi Motor Park. When officers from Makinde Division led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) got to the scene, they discovered that the accident was caused by a tipper carrying sand, along the Apapa/Oshodi Expressway, inwards Mile 2 on the service lane.

    “The truck with registration number JJJ824XD which is owned by the Lords Chosen Church lost control due to brake failure and ran into three stationary vehicles in the motor park. Five yet to be identified female pedestrians lost their lives. One of the deceased, a pregnant woman whose foetus also gushed out bought the causuality figure to six. About five persons were also injured.

    “We have apprehended the driver of the truck, one Lawrence Nwaodu (45). The four vehicles involved in the accident have been taken to the office of LASTMA. Calm has also returned in the area as policemen were able to handle the situation”.

    On Monday, a water tanker killed a pupil in Ajah , Lagos, sparking protest. Three other pupil involved in the accident are still in hospital.

    Braide urged motorists to ensure that their vehicles were in good condition always, adding that it will help to stem the rising tide of fatal accidents.

  • Fire razes six trucks on Benin-Ore road

    Six trucks were razed at the weekend on the Benin-Ore Expressway after multiple accidents.

    The fire was ignited by a truck conveying petroleum products.

    Nobody died.

    The fire, which occurred on Saturday night, caused traffic gridlock on the road, and vehicles had to pass through Ogbemudia farms.

    Toll-gate Unit Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Ameen Adewale, yesterday said the accident was caused by robbers.

    He said: “As I speak with you, the fire is still ranging and our men are on standby to control traffic. The robbery caused a container to fall across the road and two other unsuspecting trucks ran into it while trying to escape from the robbers.

    “Unfortunately, a truck laden with 33 litres of petrol ran into the others and caught fire. No life was lost in the accident and our men are on ground to control traffic. We have completely blocked the Ore side of the road and have diverted traffic to the Benin lane.”

  • How safe is that seat belt?

    How safe is that seat belt?

    Prevention is said to be better than cure. So as the use of safety belts in vehicles prevents unforeseen circumstances. But how safe can such belts be when in commercial vehicles?

    This question becomes imminent whenever one boards commercial vehicles. In a city like Lagos where the population competes with some countries in the continent, it is only imaginable the volume of vehicular movement that takes place.

    Those who do not own a car definitely must patronise the commercial buses. Also, those who own vehicles but do not want to be run down a typical traffic day might decide to hop into the next available bus.

    Transportation activity becomes heightened on week days. But one trend that cannot be overlooked is the use of seat belts by front row passengers. This is a welcome development. However, there is a snag to such development. Passengers resent vehemently when told wear such belts.

    A seat belt according to wikipedia is a vehicle device designed to secure the occupant of a vehicle against harmful movement that may result during a collision or a sudden stop.

    It is commonly observed the little arguments that usually ensue in commercial vehicles over the use of seat belts. While commuters who choose the front seat vehemently refuse its use due to various reasons, drivers tend to be adamant about its use.

    According to the drivers, the safety of their passengers is paramount coupled with their aversion to incur the wrath of transport regulators.

    Among the commuters who spoke with The Nation, top reasons for their regularly refusal is attributed to the belts’ unsightly appearance and the use of ropes in the name of safety belts.

    John Oyewale lives in Ogba but works in Victoria Island. He is a regular user of the commercial vehicles. While on his way to work daily, he prefers to use the seat beside the driver but recently stopped such practice. When asked why he did so, he has this sordid experience to share:

    “These commercial vehicle owners are not helping matters. How can I continue to make use of ropes to cage myself all in the name of seat belt? I will rather occupy a seat at the back where I will feel comfortable. Such so called seat belts are static. It is not adjustable,” he lamented.

    Another person who simply wants to be addressed as Chris also had a bitter experience with use of seat belts. When asked about his seat belt experience narrates thus: “I was invited for an interview somewhere in Lagos. I boarded a bus from the bus park. I chose the front seat which is my favourite. When we were about to move the driver told me to wear the seat belt. Looking at the seat belt, it had no lock but a rope tied to the door and the seat.

    “Apart from that, its appearance was not what I could afford to rest across my White shirt. I explained these to the driver. The driver got angry and reigned abuses.”

    Taking it in good strides all the insults hurled at him, Chris marvelled at the driver’s insistence to put on such ‘so-called belt’ on his sparkling long sleeved shirt.  These insults attracted a whole lot of comments from other commuters. All comments were in favour of Chris.

    If not for the timely intervention of a fellow bus driver at the bus park, the commuters were ready to disembark from the bus.

    For Timothy Ajewole, he doesn’t believe in the effectiveness of such belts. When asked why? He replied asking a rather rhetorical question in pidgin: “My brother something wey dey tie for two ends fit hold you well when anything happen?”

    He however doesn’t blame the drivers but regulators.  “Regulators are to blame. It is one thing to create a preventive measure but ensuring the right belts are used is another thing all together,” he said

    “I recall how I was asked to use the seat belt by the driver. But seeing the belt was dirty, I refused. My refusal caused uproar in the bus. Explaining to him didn’t change anything. All he was after was my wearing of the belt in order to avoid arrest,” Okolo Ezeh narrates.

    For Ebube, a regular commuter, such commercial buses are not after the safety of passengers or the cleanliness of such seat belts. “All they want to avoid is paying fine,” he added.

    Defending claims by the passengers about the state of seatbelts, a bus driver, Yinka says such commuters are liars. Using his bus as an example, Yinka says his front seat passengers enjoy each ride. Asides that, he says the use of the seatbelts helps him evade arrest from law enforcement agencies.

    “How much do I earn to pay N20, 000 to law enforcement agencies? On each trip I do not make as much as that,” he said.

    He is rather of the opinion that commuters are averse to the use of seat belts. “These people want to be free. When you tell them to wear the belt, they ignore you.”

    Refusing to toe the line of his colleague, Esho, a driver in one of the motor parks in Lagos confesses that such belts are not the best for safety. “These belts in vehicles are not safe. We just put them to avoid the disturbances of Road safety.”

    Sounding religious he says: “We all are not safe. Only God saves. If front seat passengers use seat belt, how about the other 23 passengers without seat belts?”

    The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in 2011 stated that 4,327 persons were killed by road accidents while 17,464 persons sustained various degrees of injuries. While in 2012, 4,260 persons were killed by road accidents.

    Among the causes of such accidents are: over speeding, drunk driving, ignoring road signs, bad roads and the non use of seat/safety belt.