Corruption: FRSC dismisses 62 officers, 172 arrested

The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi has announced the termination of appointments of 62 personnel of the Corps charged with extortion and fraud.

He also confirmed that 172 officers of the Corps arrested for different infractions were being investigated and to be prosecuted in courts of law.

Oyeyemi made the disclosures on Friday in Abuja while briefing newsmen on the anti-corruption efforts of the current management of FRSC, where he vowed to rid the Corps of all bad eggs trying to dent the image and reputation of the Agency.

The Corps Marshal said he was aware of what he described as corruption fight back, in which “some persons and groups are making desperate efforts to come against us for our anti-corruption stance”, saying that he would not be deterred or intimidated, but remain focused and determined.

While stressing that the leadership of the Corps has demonstrated zero tolerance for corruption in the system, Oyeyemi noted that FRSC was the first government agency to collaborate with the Akin Fadeyi Foundation and MacArthur Foundation, both, renowned international Non-Governmental Organisations to launch the ‘flag-It App’.

‘Flag-It’ is an App developed for reporting cases of extortion, bribery or disservice perpetrated by any of the Corps’ operatives.

He said this was done in a swift reaction to public outcry on corrupt tendencies by some personnel of the Corps, urging members of the public not to hesitate to report any wrongdoings by the FRSC personnel for proper disciplinary actions.

The Corps has also established the first National Traffic Radio, 107.1 FM, to sensitise the public on best road use culture as well as serve as a direct medium through which the dissatisfied members of the public could call in to report complaints of service failures, extortion, and bribery.

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The Corps Marshal disclosed that the test transmission preparatory towards the full broadcast has commenced.

He said: “I want to state that the management of the Corps is resolute in its commitment to continually sustain the clampdown by identifying and ridding the Corps of corrupt personnel with a view to serving as deterrence to others.

“Our records show that in 2019 alone, a total of 62 personnel of the Corps had their appointments terminated. This consists of 14 officers and 48 Marshals with several others receiving various degrees of punishment in accordance with the provisions of the FRSC Regulations on discipline,” he said.

He further explained through surveillance operations done in collaboration with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Department of State Service (DSS), targeted at arresting the bad eggs, some personnel were arrested.

He said: “Over 70 staff were arrested in two tactical swoops, apart from other pockets of the arrest made through the instrumentalities of the internal regulatory mechanism of the Corps by which additional 71 arrests were made, with cases currently undergoing investigation.

“Meanwhile, another 31 staff of the Corps who were arrested by other security agencies are being tried for different infractions, leading to apprehension and desperation by some of those affected.

“In all, 172 personnel are being investigated and to be prosecuted in courts of law,” he said.

He reaffirmed the commitment of the Corps to eradicating road traffic crashes and creating a safer motoring environment in Nigeria.