As part of efforts to combat traffic gridlock and eliminate road traffic crashes, injuries, and fatalities this end of the year, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has deployed its entire workforce, including Special Marshals, to the highways to ensure hitch-free movement as commuters travel from one destination to another across the nation.
Assistant Corps Marshal and Corps Public Education Officer of the Corps, Olusegun Ogungbemide, stated this in Abuja on Monday while fielding questions from Defence Correspondents during the Strategic Communications Interagency Policy Committee’s end-of-year press conference, hosted by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
According to him, “The Corps achieved this through effective and efficient distribution of logistics and operational materials nationwide.”
He stated that “this logistics includes the deployment of 157 administrative vehicles, 754 patrol vehicles, 143 ambulances, and 48 tow trucks. This is in addition to the deployment of radar guns to check speed violations, setting up 16 traffic control camps on different routes, and manning 53 critical routes nationwide.”
He explained that the Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, who authorised the deployment, also directed Commanding Officers to ensure 24-hour observance along high-volume traffic/gridlock-prone areas, full mobilisation of 23 Help Areas, adequate utilisation of 59 Emergency Ambulance (Zebra) Points, full mobilisation of Roadside (RTC) Clinics, and 24/7 broadcasting on National Traffic Radio 107.1 FM.
According to him, “The 2024 Operation Zero Tolerance is scheduled to commence from December 15, 2024, and will run through to January 15, 2025.”
“The operation, which is programmed to run in shifts as follows: 0600hrs – 1400hrs, 1400hrs – 2000hrs, 2000hrs – 2200hrs, with Night Rescue teams on standby at all operational commands, is billed to cover the following critical corridors: Sokoto-Tambuwal-Jega-Birnin Kebbi corridor, Katsina-Kano-Wudil-Dutse-Azare-Potiskum corridor, Kaduna-Saminaka-Jos corridor, Abuja-Kaduna-Kano corridor, Okene-Ogori-Isua-Owo corridor, Makurdi-Otukpo-Obollo Afor-9th Mile corridor, Asaba-Abraka-Ughelli-Warri corridor, Ibadan-Ogere-Sagamu corridor, Sagamu-Mowe-Lagos corridor, among others.”
Explaining some of the reasons for the year’s early and holistic approach to safer roads, the Corps Marshal said that the Corps has observed that a key characteristic of the period over the years is an upsurge in traffic volume, excessive speed, overloading of vehicles with goods, animals, and persons, impatience by motorists who may not have adequately planned their journeys, or motorists managing mechanically deficient vehicles to and from their travel destinations.
According to him, the above-mentioned factors are known to be the major causes of chaos and indiscipline among all classes of road users, leading to crashes, fatalities, loss of property, as well as traffic congestion and gridlocks.
“The operation, which complements the ongoing ember months’ aggressive sensitisation, will cover broad areas such as traffic control and decongestion, public enlightenment, enforcement, prompt response to crash victims, and route lining, among others.”
He added that the Corps Marshal emphasised that the enforcement is aimed at checking excessive speed, overloading, dangerous driving/overtaking, lane indiscipline/route violation, road obstructions, use of phones while driving, overloading violations, seatbelt/child restraint use violations, passengers’ manifest violations, mechanically deficient vehicles, and latching and twist-lock violations.
According to him, “In addition to the foregoing, the Corps Marshal also directed the massive constitution of mobile courts across the nation.”
“The directive also mandates the commanding officers to ensure effective collaboration with military units, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Directorate of State Services (DSS), NGO ambulance service providers, the National Network on Emergency Road Services (NNERS), and the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA).”
The Corps Marshal also stated that the operatives will be charged with the responsibility of identifying alternative routes to assist motorists during gridlocks and giving notification of traffic-distressed areas for intervention. As such, he called on the motoring public to download the FRSC mobile application for real-time reporting and updates on traffic situations, utilise all FRSC social media handles (facebook.com//frscnigeria, Instagram.com//frscnigeria, twitter.com//frscnigeria), and in case of emergency, call the 122 toll-free number, as well as the National Traffic Radio live lines: 08052998090, 09067000015, and 08052998012. These are available means to reach FRSC to report traffic situations anywhere in the country. The public can also reach the situation room on 07054005754 and 07054005712, respectively.
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