March 24, (THEWILL) – In a swift response to the urgency to halt the rising cases of traffic infractions, occasioned by the use of trailers to convey passengers and the attendant fatalities, the Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps, Dauda Ali Biu, has inaugurated a Joint Task Force to arrest and prosecute offenders involved in such traffic infractions.
The new development was disclosed in a statement, signed by the Assistant Corps Marshal, Corps Public Education Officer FRSC Headquarters, Jonas Agwu.
According to Agwu, the Joint Task Force comprises the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, State Traffic Management Agencies, and operatives of the Corps. Others, who were drafted into the Task Force include representatives of the various transport unions.
The inauguration of the JTF, which is in phases, commenced with the commissioning of the team to man the Kaduna-Abuja expressway on March 23, 2024, at Kakau Toll Gate, Kaduna State.
The Corps Marshal who was represented by the Assistant Corps Marshal, Federal Operations, ACM Zubairu Mato emphasized on the cardinal role of the Joint Task Force.
According to Biu, in the last couple of months, the highways have witnessed incidences of road traffic crashes involving trailers loaded with goods, animals and persons.
In most of these crashes, several innocent people who were seen perching on top of goods in such vehicles were killed and the commodities being conveyed also damaged extensively.
To reverse the ugly trend, the JTF was directed to embark on effective special patrol operations, as well as conduct Mobile Court operations on the commissioned route. They are also to ensure immediate prosecution of apprehended offenders.
The exercise will be carried out across major corridors nationwide. Consequently, owners of trailers are admonished to warn their drivers against these traffic violations as the Corps will not spare anyone caught in the act.
Meanwhile, in another unfortunate development, a fatal crash occurred at about 1350hrs on March 23, 2024, in Rinji, Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State.
The crash involved a Mercedes Benz with registration number AK808AA and a Volkswagen Opel Vectra also with registration number TFB675RC.
Out of the 8 persons in the vehicles, 4 victims, comprising 1 female adult and 3 male adults were killed while the remaining 4 victims survived the crash with different degrees of injuries.
The FRSC rescue team recovered the sum of N1,532,100 (One million, Five Hundred and Thirty-Two Thousand, One Hundred Naira) belonging to the victims.
About the Author
Anthony Awunor, is a business correspondent who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Linguistics (UNILAG). He is also an alumnus of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria Kaduna State. He lives in Lagos.
