The Federal Road Safety Corps has been asked to step up its activities in addressing issues of overloading of vehicles and extortion on the highways.
The Emir of Gwandu and Chairman, Kebbi State Council of Chiefs, Maj. Gen. (Dr) Muhammed Iliyasu Bashar, gave this advice while receiving the FRSC Zone 10 Commander in charge of Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States, ACM Kayode Olagunju, in his palace in Birni Kebbi.
The traditional ruler observed that people no longer place high values on the sanctity of lives and that is why they allowed themselves to be overloaded in vehicles and packed with animals.
He noted that some were being transported in vehicle trunks and atop of unstable loads on vehicles, saying led to many deaths and injuries.
He noted the efforts of the FRSC but that the Corps should do more to tackle the issue promising further collaboration of the Emirate Council in public enlightenment. He called on the Corps to raise its enforcement and prosecution of violators and that the Emirate Council would always lend its support.
The Royal father also called on the Corps and other security agencies to identify the bad eggs extorting motorists in the system and flush them out, saying the positive image of the Corps should be protected by continually sanitizing the system.
Dr Muhammed Bashar also noted that the ban on motorcycle operations in Lagos has led to the influx of many of the operators into the state and many of the motorcycles are not registered.
He enjoined the FRSC to ensure proper registration of the bikes and licensing of the riders for safety and security reasons.
Earlier, the Zonal Commanding Officer ACM Kayode Olagunju appreciated the support of the Emir and traditional institutions in Kebbi state.
He thanked the Emir for always keying into the programmes of the Corps aimed at reducing fatalities and injuries on the highways. He craved for further collaboration in addressing overloading in the state while briefing the Emirate Council on FRSC efforts.
Olagunju also disclosed that vehicles including motorcycles with old number plates as well as those not properly registered were being impounded.
He promised that the Corps would not relent in its goal of ensuring compliance with traffic laws for improved road safety records in the Zone.
The ZCO was accompanied to the Palace by the Kebbi State Sector Commander Corps Commander Ebenezer Asaniyan, fsi and other Senior officers from the Command