No fewer than 1, 750 persons have been arrested by the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, for riding tricycles and motorcycles without number plates.
The arrests were made after the FRSC, on Wednesday, commenced clampdown on tricycles and motorcycles without number plates and riders without class ‘A’ licence.
The arrests were made pursuant to a public statement earlier made by the FRSC and the Joint Tax Board (JTB) to begin clampdown violators of the rule.
In a release by the Corps Public Education Officer, Mr. Bisi Kazeem, the special clampdown intervention patrol recorded massive arrests of offenders in 18 states namely: Kaduna, Nasarawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Delta, Benue, Oyo, Niger, Kwara, Adamawa, Kogi, Zamfara, Anambra, Sokoto, Osun, Rivers , Kano and Ondo.
Giving the breakdown of the arrests, the Corps Public Education Officer said: “The highest number of arrests was recorded in Kaduna State with a total of 430 arrests. Nasarawa State followed suit with a total of 219 arrests comprising of 15 tricycles and 204 motorcycles.
In Benue State, a total of 147 arrests have been made, comprising of 140 motorcycles and 7 tricycles.
Other are: Ondo, 61; Anambra, 41; Kebbi, 51; Katsina, 110; Delta, 92; Zamfara, 76; Oyo, 178; Kogi, 16; Mubi, 10; Rivers, 11; Kano, 132; Niger, 28; Osun, 66 and Sokoto 10.
According to him, that was achieved in friendly collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corpse and other law enforcement agencies.
It would be recalled that the Corps Marshal, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, following the series of consultations with the JTB, agreed to shift the commencement of enforcement from the earlier date of August 1, 2019, to allow for more sensitisation and awareness, and further consultations with critical stakeholders on the imperatives of the clampdown.
Speaking on the operation, the Corps Marshal said, “This shift of date was agreed upon to give riders adequate time to comply with the laws and acquire both the class A license and the number plates. We expected that by now, due to the adequate publicity we gave the commencement of enforcement and the consultations that followed, all affected riders would have complied to this demand of the law.”
He continued: “The essence of this operation is to enhance the security of lives and properties of road users. There have been series of reports of pervasive use of these categories of vehicles to perpetuate all manners of crime and we are saying enough is enough. All Tricycles and motorcycles must have an identity so that they can be easily traced.”
Oyeyemi therefore called on all motorists who operate within the categories to endeavour to procure their licences and also have their tricycles and motorcycles duly registered to avoid arrest.
