The Acting Corps Marshall of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Dauda Biu, has directed the establishment of mobile courts across the states of the federation including Akwa Ibom to try road traffic violators during the yuletide period.
He gave the directive during the ember-months’ Special Patrol flag-off rally which was held in the Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State on Tuesday.
Biu, who was represented by Ekette Bassey, urged area commands of the FRSC to pay particular attention throughout the period to effective traffic control and look out for failure to install/use speed limiting devices by commercial vehicles and overloading.
Others are: lane indiscipline, driver license violation, removal of rickety vehicles on the road and other obstructions, driving with expired/worn-out tyres, and vehicles without spare tyres.
The Corps Marshall stated that the reason behind the measure was to cut down on road traffic crashes and the attendant loss of lives and properties usually experienced during the period.
“You are all aware that the Yuletide is one of the periods when Nigerians travel across the length and breadth of the country, especially the Christian faithful.
“The end of the year also provides opportunities for our sons and daughters to come home for family reunions, meetings, festivals, and ceremonies, just to mention but a few.
“Owing to this development, our roads have always witnessed high vehicular traffic congestion, gridlocks, road traffic crashes, and the attendant loss of lives and properties.
“This situation is further worsened by the excesses of motorists along our corridors which leave horrifying nightmares in the minds of stakeholders, travellers, government, etc.
“I direct that mobile courts sittings be conducted throughout the period across the federation.
“All patrol vehicles, ambulances, tow trucks, motorbikes, and other operational equipment in the categories of radar guns, and all other operational logistics materials have been fully deployed for the exercise.”
He noted that the Corps will be embarking on the patrol in collaboration with the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force, among other sister security agencies.
In his remarks, the State Sector Commander of the FRSC, Matthew Olonisaye, explained that the ember-months’ campaign was to erase the menace of traffic indiscipline.
He called on motorists to reduce speed, avoid overloading and change all worn-out tyres to prevent death and serious injuries on, particularly, pedestrians and other vulnerable road users as the Yuletide season is drawing close.
