Kasim Sumaina in Abuja
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has deployed over 743 patrol vehicles, 184 administrative vehicles, 92 ambulances, 23 tow trucks and 144 motorbikes as part of the patrol logistics to mark the 2024 Easter celebrations.
The Corps Marshal, FRSC, Dauda Ali Biu, to this end, has tasked commanding officers to ensure full deployment of staff for maximum visibility, prompt removal of obstructions and ease of movement on all highways across the country.
This, Biu said, was in line with the operational guidelines of this year’s Easter special patrol scheduled to commence from 29 March to 2 April, 2024.
Biu, in a statement Wednesday in Abuja by the Assistant Corps Marshal, Corps Public Education Officer, Jonas Agwu, said: “As contained in the Operation Order, the objectives of the special operations are reduction in road traffic crashes, road traffic fatalities and road traffic injuries; prompt response to road traffic crash victims; unhindered engagement in purposeful public education and speedy removal of obstructions from the highways, amongst others.”
He assured members of the public that in achieving the objectives of the special operations, FRSC will combine the engagement of the motoring public through purposeful and impactful public education programmes, strengthening of surveillance activities to regulate unprofessional excesses, sustained effective patrol operations, as well as adequate monitoring on the highways.
To this end, “the corps would carry out aggressive enforcement including conducting over 200 mobile courts operations with the aim of checking the following offences: speeding and dangerous driving/overtaking,
“Lane indiscipline/route violation, road lbstructions, use of phone while driving, overloading, seatbelt/child restraint use violations, passenger’s manifest violation, operation of mechanical deficient and rickety vehicles, latching and twist-locks violation, illegal use of the spy number plates.”
To achieve this, he said over 743 patrol vehicles, 184 administrative vehicles, 92 ambulances, 23 tow trucks and 144 motorbikes are being deployed as part of the patrol logistics.
“Furthermore, reflective jackets, traffic cones, tyre pressure gauges, a number of extricating machines and digital breathalyzers are part of the tools set aside for the special operations.
“Added to the above is a total of 23 help areas mobilised to ensure prompt removal of obstructions and rescue operations during the period,” Biu said.
This, he said, is in addition to the 15 traffic control camps, which would be dedicated solely to identifying gridlock areas to be manned by FRSC personnel on 24/7 basis.
For effective monitoring and prompt response, Biu noted that the FRSC has put in place a Situation Room at the National Headquarters to monitor the activities across the country, collate and process information for dissemination to relevant commands and stakeholders as the case may be.
“This is in addition to 28 Road Traffic Crash Clinics and 53 Zebra points located along the major routes. This would be covered by 92 ambulances to be fully utilized for prompt response to crashes and rescue of injured victims to hospitals for more professional attention,” Biu said.
He also directed the commanding officers to liaise with other strategic stakeholders within their operational areas to secure the needed moral and logistics, as well as security support.
The corps marshal, however, identified some of the stakeholders as military formations (enroute or resident); the Nigeria Police (enroute or resident); DSS (enroute or resident); the Nigeria Immigration Service; the NSCDC (enroute or resident).
Others are Federal Ministry of Works and Housing; National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA); State Traffic Management Agencies; state-owned NGO’s ambulance services providers; National Network on Emergency Rescue Services (NNES);
Federal Road Maintenance Agencies and Federal Fire Service.
On the overall preparedness of the corps for the special operations, the corps marshal expressed optimism that Nigerians would, as usual, cooperate with members of the corps and other security agencies, as well as volunteers who would come out to assist the corps in traffic management.
