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Tag: FRSC

  • Attacks on FRSC operatives: Enough is enough, says Oyeyemi

    The Corps Marshal, Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, has condemned the unprovoked attacks and molestation of operatives of the Federal Road Safety Corps on the highways and vowed to prosecute all those involved.

    The FRSC, in a statement by the Corps Public Education Officer, Bisi Kazeem, said Oyeyemi’s reaction follows the recent shooting of two FRSC staff and the detention of another in a Police facility in Abia State.

    “Many road users are abusing the civility of the unarmed personnel that are trained to be cautious while discharging their legitimate duties,” the statement quoted Oyeyemi as saying, operatives had been abducted, killed, assaulted, ran over, threatened and shot.

    The Corps Marshal, Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, has condemned the unprovoked attacks and molestation of operatives of the Federal Road Safety Corps on the highways and vowed to prosecute all those involved.

    The FRSC, in a statement by the Corps Public Education Officer, Bisi Kazeem, said Oyeyemi’s reaction follows the recent shooting of two FRSC staff and the detention of another in a Police facility in Abia State.

    “It is also disheartening that some of the attackers misinformed the unsuspecting public by releasing manipulated information to gain public sympathy. Attempts are often made to make the aggressors looked like the victims.”

    The Corps Marshal said the FRSC remains the nation’s lead agency on road traffic administration and safety management empowered to arrest and prosecute erring motorists.

    He added, “Section 10 (4) of the FRSC (Establishment) Act, 2007 states categorically that members of the Corps shall have powers to arrest and prosecute persons reasonably suspected to have committed any traffic offence. Resistance based on ignorance of the law or impunity can no longer be grounds to attack operatives carrying out their lawful duties. We will definitely not abdicate our statutory responsibilities.”

    Wife of Abia Speaker

    Oyeyemi referred to the shooting of two FRSC operatives at Aro Ngwa along the Enugu – Port Harcourt expressway on July 15, 2017, by policemen attached to the wife of the Speaker, Abia State House of Assembly. He noted that “the two young men were abandoned with their gun wounds” but were rescued by road users that assisted them to the hospital.

    FCT(12/7/17)

    The Corps Marshal also recalled the case in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, where an investigating panel revealed that a patrol team flagged down a driver for routine checks. When his car was to be impounded for running foul of traffic laws, a female staff was attached to the offender’s vehicle to accompany the vehicle to a nearby FRSC office for other necessary processes as contained in the operational procedure to be effected, the driver sped away with the female staff. A patrol team, obviously concerned about the motive of the fleeing driver, had to apply force to rescue the female operative. The manipulated video which the suspect released afterwards only told one side of the story. The Corps is determined to follow through with the suspect’s prosecution as a deterrent.

    JIGAWA(14/7/17)

    The case in Jigawa was also pathetic. An FRSC patrol team was carrying out its legitimate duties along the Kiyawa – Dutse road in Jigawa State when a team of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) officials challenged the team for daring to check vehicles for excessive overloading and installation of the Speed Limiting Devices. They not only set the FRSC patrol vehicle ablaze but aso badly damaged another vehicle. The FRSC office was also destroyed by the rampaging NURTW officials.

    The Jigawa incident resulted in fatality as one person was killed and several others injured.

    OYO(15/7/17)

    It will also be recalled that an FRSC personnel in Oluyole Unit Command, Oyo State was almost strangled to death by a driver who was accosted for contravening traffic laws. The Corps has turned down the plea for out-of-court settlement by the now sober attacker.

    The Corps Marshal said that all the attacks had been collated, well documented and would be brought to the attention of all the relevant arms of government for necessary action. Enough, he said, was enough.

    Meanwhile, the Corps Marshal has assured all staff that the Corps would not leave any stone unturned to prosecute all those involved in the recent spate of attacks. He also said additional steps were being taken to further protect staff performing their legitimate duties and asked them to continue to discharge their duties without fear or ill-will.

    “The hall mark of gallant operatives is never to be deterred by negative influences but focused in the commitment to service for the sake of posterity,” Oyeyemi added.

    He appealed to all sister security operatives and the general public to always come to the aid of the Marshals when they are under threat.
    “If the laws are not strictly enforced,” he said, “road safety becomes the first casualty. Nobody knows the next victim.”

  • Psychiatrists kick as FRSC sends 80 traffic offenders for mental check up

    The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, has sent 80 persons to mental health facilities for various traffic offences, as traffic marshals commence pilot exercise for new road safety enforcement policy.

    Bisi Kazeem, the commission’s spokesperson, told newsmen in a chat on Sunday afternoon that the offenders were arrested between Saturday and Sunday.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the agency had notify the public that it will commence the enforcement of psychiatric test on traffic law offenders in the country with effect from July 1, 2017.

    The 80 persons were arrested for 86 offences which ranged from driving without seatbelts to making phone calls while driving, Mr. Kazeem said.

    On Saturday, Boboye Oyeyemi, the Corps Marshal of the FRSC, deployed a team of road traffic marshals to major roads around Abuja, in a new operation codenamed ‘Cobra Squad.’

    Kazeem said 19 people were arrested on the first day (Saturday) for 22 offences while 61 offenders were arrested for 64 violations on Sunday.

    Driving while making phone calls and driving without seatbelts were the most prevalent infractions — at 27 and 23 instances, respectively.

    Oyeyemi said probing mental stability of road traffic offenders will help curb abuses and promote sanity on the road.

    But some psychiatrists have criticised the policy as ‘reckless’ and ’embarrassing.’

    Ambrose Lawani, a psychiatrist based in Benin City, said the FRSC did not consider some crucial factors before announcing the policy.

    “They cannot implement psychiatric tests without putting key arrangements in place,” Mr. Lawani said.

    For one, Lawani said, traffic offences are part of normal social misbehaviours that require only caution through fines rather than being seen as mental disorders.

    Another major concern is that the policy “would be a serious distraction for psychiatric doctors in the country because of the high number of individuals that will be forced to take tests when those with genuine mental illnesses are not even getting the treatment they require,” Mr. Lawani said.

    Similarly, he said FRSC did not outline what will happen to any offender shown to be suffering mental disorder after evaluation.

    “Anyone found to be suffering mental disorder cannot be allowed to go home without proper treatment,” Mr. Lawani said. “If the person doesn’t have money, who will pick the bill?”

    Dumping hundreds of drivers in mental health centres will only worsen the centres and little budget they receive, which has been stagnant since 2006, the psychiatrist said.

    “Nigeria is in for a big embarrassment with this hasty and poorly-researched policy that will soon somersault like others before it,” he said.

    The doctor advised the FRSC to consult psychiatrists across the country for a possible synergy on how the policy could be properly implemented without disrupting existing arrangements for mental health evaluation and treatment.

    But Oyeyemi said mental evaluation requirement was not unusual in road traffic enforcement and likened it to the process of obtaining a driving licence.

    “This is one of the criteria before you obtain a licence,” he said.

  • FRSC to enforce emotional, mental evaluation of traffic offenders

    Mr Kehinde Adeleye, the Zonal Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) RS5, Benin, says the organisation will enforce emotional and mental evaluation of traffic offenders.

    Adeleye made the assertion during his second quarter inspection of the Anambra Command Headquarters in Awka on Wednesday.

    The zonal commander said the FRSC would carry out the tests to check offenders’ level of stability.

    He advised motorists in the zone to change their attitude and avoid being caught in the web of the new policy.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that RS5, Benin comprises Anambra, Delta and Edo states.

    Adeleye said the enforcement of the new traffic management policy would be comprehensive, adding that it had become expedient to check recklessness and enhance safety.

    The zonal commander said that so many lives had been lost on the highways, noting that some of the offences that would attract tests include use of phones, route violation and speeding.

    Adeleye, however, said that there was improvement on some of FRSC’s activities in the second quarter of 2016, adding that the corps should not relent in its efforts.

    “The FRSC has come up with a project to address the anomalies in the behaviour of road users; people using phone while driving and people engaging in excessive speeding.

    “It will also address those who fail to install speed limiter in their vehicles and people who drive against traffic.

    “With the good roads and no gridlock, we observe that people still chose to drive against traffic,’’ the zonal commander said.

    “Motorists caught committing these offences will be subjected to emotional and mental evaluation to check their level of stability and we are going to enforce that seriously.

    “I am using this opportunity to appeal to road users to be conscious of their safety and do everything possible to promote their safety.

    “Across the zone, there has been tremendous improvement over the first quarter in the areas of enforcement, public enlightenment and stakeholders’ engagement.’’

    According to him, our response time to crash scenes has also improved to about five to six minutes.

    Adeleye commended the Anambra Command of the FRSC, headed by Mr Sunday Ajayi, for a good job in keeping the corridor safe.

    He also thanked the state government for donating three motorcycles to the command to enhance its operations.

    “The Anambra Government came to our aid with three motorcycles to enhance our patrol monitoring; and we intend to monitor the whole routes,’’ he said.

    Contributing, Ajayi said the visit of the zonal commander was re-energising and would motivate them to do more for the safety of the people.

    “We cannot assess ourselves. The important thing is that we have not lost track in our duty to reduce crash and death.

    “The zonal commander is here to evaluate the situation in Anambra and with his coming we have been directed again on what to do.

    “We shall leverage on that to ensure that roads in Anambra become the safest in Nigeria,’’

  • We’ll realign our operations with Osinbajo’s Executive Order – FRSC

    The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) ha said it will reorganise its operations for better transparency and efficiency in line with the recently signed Presidential Executive Orders.

    Its Corps Marshal, Mr Boboye Oyeyemi, said this at a strategic session with Zonal Commanding Officers of the FRSC at its headquarters in Abuja on Friday.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, had on Thursday, May 18 signed three far-reaching executive orders expected to ease business, fast-track budget submission and promote made in Nigeria products.

    Oyeyemi said the FRSC had a critical role to play in the implementation of the Orders given its status as the country’s lead agency in road traffic administration and safety management.

    He said; “the Executive Order has made it imperative that FRSC aligns its operations for effective and efficient service delivery through re-orientation of all segments of the corps.

    “Accordingly, this session will be devoted to identification of areas requiring alignment to the Executive Order in the nation’s continuous search for excellence in all fields of endeavours.

    “We must strive to ensure that our processes and procedures are continually built in oerder to maintain a deserved leadership role in Road safety in Africa.

    “There is no area in which suitable development is more important than this Executive Order in terms of human welfare that is transportation.’’

    Oyeyemi said the goal of the FRSC under the Order was to ensure free and safe movement of goods and services, including farm produce to their destinations.

    He added that the Corps would display its services, including the process of obtaining and renewing driver’s licence at its formations nationwide in line with the Executive Order 001.

    The Special Guest of Honour and Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Okechukwu Enelamah, urged officers and men of the Corps to take the Executive Orders seriously.

    Enelamah, represented by the Director of Inspectorate in his ministry, Mr Battah Ndirpaya, took the FRSC officials through the contents of the Executive Orders, whose implementation had begun,

    “The first requirement under transparency is that all MDAs shall publish a complete list of all fees, timelines, conditions and requirements for obtaining permits, licenses and approvals.

    “The head of MDA must ensure that the list is verified and kept up to date at all times. If there is conflict between a published list and an unpublished list, the published list shall prevail.

    “So, you cannot hide anything any longer. All information must be given to the public and the public must know,’’ he said.

    The minister said that Order 001 required all MDAs to set timelines for approval or rejection of applications from members of the public.

    Enelamah explained that an applicant not approved or rejected by an agency or official within the agency’s specified timeline shall be assumed to have been approved.

    “The applicant whose application is deemed granted may apply to the minister in charge to issue a document or certificate as evidence of the grant within 14 days of the lapse of the dateline.

    “What happens here is if they come here for their driver’s licence after the expiration of the date set by you, and they did not get it, they will go to the Secretary to the Government of Federation to demand for the licence.

    “How does that portray the Corps Marshal Failure? When you are putting your timelines, you must be sure you will be able to meet it.

    “If not the tendency is that you will shoot yourself in the foot and the whole agency blacklisted.’’

    He also warned that failure by desk officers to act on application within stipulated time without lawful excuse would amount to misconduct and disciplinary actions would be taken.

     

    (NAN)

  • Dos and don’ts for motorists in Nigeria beginning from July 1

    The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on Tuesday released guidelines for the proposed psychiatric examination of traffic offenders in the country.

    The Corps Marshal, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, had on Monday, told newsmen in Abuja that the test would begin nationwide on July 1.

    According to the guidelines issued by the Corps’ Public Education Officer, Mr Bizi Kazeem, the exercise will cover life threatening traffic offences which are rampant in the country.

    The identified offences are use of phone while driving, route violation, traffic light violation, dangerous driving and overloading.

    Kazeem said that offenders would have their driver’s licenses withdrawn pending confirmation of their sanity or otherwise.

    He explained that the violators would bear the full cost of the examination, which would be conducted at recognised public medical facilities.

    “The move arose from observed aggravating crashes and disobedience to road traffic laws and regulation.

    “This nation can no longer watch the lives and property of its citizens wasted by a few non-conformists on the highways,’’ he quoted the corps marshal as saying.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Boboye is expected to meet with commanding officers of the Corps in Abuja on Friday to draw up strategies for the exercise.

    Meanwhile, some Abuja residents have lauded the FRSC for the move which they said, was overdue.

    Miss Ngozi Okafor, a civil servant, said the behaviour of motorists on the road especially in Abuja called for a check on their mental state.

    “Abuja is a place where the roads are too wide for motorists, yet, they prefer driving on sidewalks meant for pedestrians.

    “Security agents and private vehicle owners are not left out in this madness. I hope the FRSC will have the courage to also subject them to psychiatric test,’’ she said.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the FRSC had earlier said that it will commence enforcement of psychiatric test on traffic law offenders in the country with effect from July 1, 2017.

  • FRSC commences psychiatric test for traffic lawbreakers July 1

    The Federal Road Safety Corps has said that it will commence the enforcement of psychiatric test on traffic law offenders in the country with effect from July 1, 2017.

    The Corps Marshal, Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, stated this at the opening of a five-day training programme for 22 FRSC officials on traffic safety for non-motorised transportation in Abuja on Monday.

    According to a statement by Bisi Kazeem, the FRSC Corps Public Education Officer, Oyeyemi said the test would focus on four areas of violations including use of phone while driving, beating traffic light and route violations as well as dangerous driving.

    The move, according to him, is necessitated by continued violations in the identified four areas despite efforts by the corps to change the behaviour of motorists through education and enforcement.

    Oyeyemi said, “We are worried about the continuous use of phone while driving, traffic light violations, route violations and dangerous driving.

    “We have invited the commanding officers for a strategic session on Friday. We will give them full directives to resume the referral of all these classes of offenders to various government hospitals for check of their mental state.

    “I think it is an act of irresponsibility for somebody to be driving and be using phone or for a traffic light to stop you and you are jumping the line.

    “It means something is wrong with your mental faculty. So, there is a need to examine this, to really check whether you are fit to drive, whether you have the mental capability to drive or not.

    “The offender will bear the cost. When they confirm that he is fit, then he will go for retraining programme and pay the fine.”

    He argued that the purpose of the mental examination for offenders was not to generate revenue but to engender attitudinal change.

    “Fine is not the issue; the issue is we need a positive attitudinal change by Nigerians. We cannot continue to be having fatal crashes due to traffic light violations, people jumping the traffic lights, I think it is crass irresponsibility,” the Corps Marshal stated.

    He stated that the FRSC was empowered by its enabling Act to undertake the proposed psychiatric examination.

  • Children’s Day: 1.3million children die annually in road crashes — FRSC

    Children’s Day: 1.3million children die annually in road crashes — FRSC

    The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has said that about 1.3 million children die annually nationwide in road crashes.

    The Lagos State Sector Commander, Mr Hygenus Omeje, disclosed this at the official inauguration of 45 students to the Road Safety Club, to mark the 2017 Children’s Day tagged “Our Children, Our Future: Say No To Road Crashes,’’ held at the Isolo Unit Command on Thursday.

    Omeje, who was represented by Mrs Rahila Kholi, the Deputy Corps Commander (DCC) in-charge of Administration and Human Resources, Lagos State, said that children must be given their rightful place in the campaign against the scourge of untimely death on the roads.

    “According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) reports, about 1.3 million children die annually as a result of crashes, while about 200,000 are also maimed and rendered absolutely dependent.

    “The corps as a world-class institution is working hard to hit its 2017 Corporate Strategic Goal which is 15 per cent reduction in crashes and 25 per cent reduction in its attendant fatality.

    “The future leaders must be adequately and intellectually prepared to correct the errors of the past,’’ he said.

    According to him, children are veritable tools to effect the change and we believe in catching-them-young so that as they grow older, they would find it easy to obey traffic rules.

    Mrs Hauwa Olowookere, the Isolo Unit Commander of the FRSC, in her opening remarks, said that the corps, as a leading agency in traffic management and administration in the country, was doing everything possible to prevent road crashes.

    Olowookere said that part of ways to promote good road safety practices was to bring safety consciousness to the children every time.

    According to her, the inauguration of the students into road safety club will bring uncommon sacrifices among them to promote the FRSC vision of curbing crashes.

    Miss Favour Umanwa, one of the inaugurated students, gave kudos to the FRSC for given the young ones the opportunity of including them in the fight to curb road crashes in the state.

    Umanwa said that the students would work hard in assisting the corps in achieving a crash-free society.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the FRSC unit command inaugurated 45 students into the road safety club from nine Schools in the Isolo community, to mark the 2017 Children’s Day tagged: “Our Children, Our Future: Say No To Road Crashes’’.

     

    NAN

  • 15 dead as FRSC recovers 5 AK47 rifles from accident victims in Kaduna

    15 dead as FRSC recovers 5 AK47 rifles from accident victims in Kaduna

    At least 15 persons, including six national women leaders of the Evangelical Reformed Church of Christ, lost their lives in separate auto accidents that happened in Kaduna on Sunday.

    The Federal Road Safety Corps’ Sector Head of Operations, Kaduna, Mr. Salish Umar Galadunci, who confirmed the incidents, said one of the accidents occurred along Kajuru junction Maraba Rido Kachi road in Chikun Local Government Area of the state.

    It was gathered that the bus was conveying the women from Kebbi State after attending the inauguration of the Church in the state.

    An eyewitness told newsmen that wife of former ERCC Secretary General and vice chairman Sanga LGC in Kaduna State, Mrs lydia Nuhu Idzi, was among the women that died in the accident.

    The FRSC official said, “On 14/5/17 at about 1630hrs at Kajuru junction Maraba Rido Kachi road, two vehicles moving in the same direction collided and caught fire with 18 persons inside.”

    Galadunci explained the vehicles were trying to dodge a motorcyclist who was crossing the road when it collided with another oncoming car and immediately went up in flame, roasting about 13 of the 18 persons in a Toyota Hummer bus with number plate AkW 60 XA.

    He said, “The first vehicle in front which was on speed tried avoiding the Okada but instead ran into a ditch by the roadside and the other vehicle following also rammed into the bus in front and there was fire.

    “The two vehicles are Toyota bus AkW 60 XA, Toyota Starlet AA 379 FNN. 18 persons involved while 5 persons injured 12 dead burnt alive, 2 were male adults, 10 female adults.”

    He added that victims and the remains of the deceased had been deposited at St Gerard Catholic Hospital in the state capital.

    “Initially the hospital hesitated taking in the bodies not until after some serious argument that led to them closing their gate for our ambulance,” he added.

    Meanwhile, Galadunci said in another rescue operation carried out by the men of the sector command, another accident, claiming 3 lives occurred along the Mazuga Village, 10km away from Kachia-Kafanchan road on Saturday.

    Curiously, the FRSC official said items recovered from one of the vehicles included five locally made AK47 rifles and a magazine.

    He said, “In another development, on 12/5/17(Saturday)at Mazuga village 10km Kachia – Kafanchan road another accident happened involving two vehicles, Audi Salon car AG 601 MKR and an Opel Vectra (no registration)‎.

    “This happened at about 1607hrs. Our men quickly rushed to the place and found out good Samaritans had already started bringing the victims out of the accident vehicles. 7 persons were involved, 3 died 4 injured.

    “In addition 5 locally made AK47 rifles and a magazine was found in the Audi Salon car with whose driver Mr Sabo Goni was still alive but injured. Kachia police were quickly alerted.

    “The recovered arms and ammo were handed over to DPO Kachia Division for further investigation.”

  • FRSC to clampdown on drivers using phones while driving

    FRSC to clampdown on drivers using phones while driving

    The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Plateau Command, says it will from Monday clampdown on drivers using phones while driving on the highways.

    The Sector Commander, Corps Commander Pat Emeordi, who stated this on Saturday while briefing newsmen in Jos, said anyone caught would pay a fine of N4, 000.

    Emeordi said that the FRSC Establishment Act 2007, Section 10 (4), prohibits the use of phones while driving for obvious reasons.

    “When people drive and make calls or do text messages, it causes distractions and everyone knows that driving requires a 100 per cent concentration.

    “But the sad thing is that many people, including those who are supposed to know, are defaulting. We are saying that the act should stop.

    “The situation is so bad that the House of Representatives on the 7th of March had to take a cursory look at the situation and everyone is worried,” she said.

    According to her, the use of phones while driving has been identified as one of the major causes of road crashes in recent times.

    “In the couple of days, therefore, beginning from Monday, we are going out massively to clampdown on those who may default,” she said.

    Emeordi also advised road users to always ensure little children were kept at the backseats of cars as a safety measure.

    The commander stated that children kept in the front seat of cars face a higher risk than those who use belt at the backseats.

    According to her, the command will soon embark on sensitisation visits to schools and hospitals to educate parents on the dangers of keeping children in front seat or not strapping them to their seats.

     

     

    NAN

  • FRSC officer returns N5m recovered from accident scene

    Federal Road Safety Corps has returned the sum of N500,000.00 recovered from an accident scene to its owner, Ms. Hafsat Idris.

    The Ilesha Unit Commander of the FRSC, Mr. Samuel Oyedeji, said on Wednesday that the money was recovered on April 25, 2017, from the scene of an auto crash involving a Toyota Pravia marked, EKY 626 AC, along the Ilesa- Ipetu Ijesa Road.

    The FRSC boss, who presented the money to a brother of the victim, Jimoh Abdulrasak, said the owner of the money was still critically ill at a hospital as a result of the injuries she sustained in the crash.

    Oyedeji explained that the money was returned to the owner after the agency had carried out thorough investigations to ascertain the owner, saying the victim’s brother brought documents to prove that he had the permission of his sister to collect the money on her behalf.

    The FRSC boss said, “We have taken permission from the zonal commander to return the money. I appreciate the rescue team, especially the head of the team, for being honest.”

    Abdulrasak expressed gratitude to the FRSC for returning the money, urging the agency to intensify campaign against the use of Tokunbo tyres.