The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Lagos State Sector Command, has deployed 3,500 personnel and 45 patrol vehicles for the safety of residents during the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.
The Sector Commander, FRSC Lagos, Mr Patrick Davou, said this on Friday while presenting the FRSC Core Marshal, Mohammed Shehu’s message on the level of preparedness for the Eid-el-Kabir special patrol.
“The Lagos command has commenced the deployment of 3,500 personnel, 45 patrol vehicles, three ambulances, 11 power bikes, three heavy duty towing trucks and others.
“We hope that with this deployment in Lagos and others done nationwide, at the end of the Sallah celebration, we will record no death in the country.
“All FRSC men will be working 24/7 to ensure the safety of the motoring public during the celebration,” he said.
On Shehu’s message, Davou lamented the recent developments on our roads such as the ugly trend of using trailers/trucks to convey human beings, night trips and speed violations, among others.
He noted that the corps had step-up measures to confront the challenges.
He said the corps had collaborated with the Nigeria Bar Association and state judiciaries for timely prosecution of drivers and vehicle owners caught contravening established traffic regulations such as overloading and dangerous driving, among others.
“The corps in collaboration with Beer Sectorial Group made available adequate breathalyzer and deployed to motor parks and highways to check drivers who control the wheel under the influence of alcohol.
“The menace of drivers that convey human beings, goods and animals at the same time has led to the flag-off of the inter-agency Joint Task Force to enforce compliance and they have successfully arrested 222 trailers loaded with 3,169 passengers hanging on top of goods and animals,” he said.
He said the objectives of the special operations was to achieve reduction in road traffic crashes, fatalities and injuries.
He said the corps would combine engagement of the motoring public through purposeful and impactful public education programmes, strengthening of surveillance activities to regulate unprofessional excesses.
“Drivers should imbibe the culture of courtesy, civility and consideration for other road users, they should do the right thing at the right time.
“I wish to call on the motoring public, especially commuters to know that the corps cannot achieve crash-free celebration unless they play their parts in checking the excesses of these drivers anytime they transit from one destination to another,” he said.