FRSC has duty to ensure road safety in Bauchi, Court rules

… dismisses N20m suit against Corps

A Federal High Court sitting in Bauchi has ruled that the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has the legal mandate to operate on any road in Bauchi State without segregation in order to keep a safer road. 

The Court therefore rejected a N20 million suit filed against the FRSC by one Dr. Ibrahim Danjuma and one other person in Bauchi State over its operations.

In the suit number, FHC/BAU/CS/03/2024 sighted by our Correspondent, the Plaintiffs had by way of originating summons, through their Counsel, H.D Ismaila brought an action against FRSC seeking a declaration, that FRSC personnel have no powers or jurisdiction to patrol on state roads in Bauchi State and or within Bauchi metropolis.

Ibrahim Danjuma and the other Plaintiff further claimed the sum of N20,000,000.00 as exemplary and general damages for harassment of road users by the FRSC officials.

However, a preliminary objection and a counter affidavit was filed by the defendant’s Counsel, Estine Okolo with necessary exhibits to prove its own case.

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The presiding Judge, Hon. Justice  Aisha Ibrahim of the Federal High Court, Bauchi, while delivering the Judgement last Friday, dismissed the suit and held that the Plaintiffs did not place evidence before the Court to show that the roads complained of were state roads.

She also ruled that there was no evidence to show harassment of road users by the FRSC personnel adding that the Plaintiffs had not discharged the burden of proof on them.

When contacted, CC Istifanus Ibrahim, the Sector Commander, FRSC, Bauchi State said that if road safety enforcement and rescue services were restricted to State or Federal roads, it would not augur well for the users.

He said, “This is because when it comes to saving lives, it should not be defined as this is a federal or state road.

“If there is a road traffic crash now, the personnel going for a rescue mission will not go and stand there and discriminate by saying these people are on State or Federal roads.

“There is the need for us to avoid this kind of dichotomy as to looking at the road as a state or federal road.

“We are on the road and we don’t discriminate whether somebody is on state or federal road as our mission is to save lives and the lives we save is for Nigerians and not for a state or federal.”

 

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE