The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, has deployed 35,000 regular and special marshals for special patrol during the Easter period.
200 mobile courts have also been put in place for the same purpose.
The actions were part of the activities lined up to improve safe vehicular movement and mitigate crashes before, during, and after the Easter celebration.
Particularly, the personnel, both regular and special marshals, will address wrong road usage by motorists and ensure free flow of traffic on all major highways across the country.
According to the spokesman of the corps, Mr. Bisi Kazeem, the proactive patrol and rescue operations billed to commence from Thursday April 18 to Tuesday, April 23, 2019 will cover 52 corridors across the federation.
Kazeem said that the corps was concerned by the increasing wave of movement of vehicles and passengers travelling during festive periods in Nigeria, and the usual traffic preconditioned by unplanned journeys, inadequate vehicle maintenance, inappropriate use of the road and other rogue journey determinants and delays; the aggregate of which commonly result in gridlock and road traffic crashes.
“The Corps Marshal has also directed the immediate commencement of aggressive public enlightenment campaigns across motor parks, terminals, e.t.c. to sensitise the motoring public on the basic safe road use practices expected from drivers this season,” he said.
Kazeem said the Corps Marshal warned the general public to note that the Corps would not hesitate to bring any erring offender to book.
He said in doing so, the corps would focus its Easter Special Patrol on all offences, particularly the overloading violations, drivers license violation and lane indiscipline.
Others are, driving with expired/worn out tyre and without a spare tyre and failure to install speed limit device.
He further stated that the corps would be prompt in rescue operations and removal of rickety vehicles on the road and other obstructions.
He said in addition, mobile court operations shall hold across the country to minimize cases of offenders discharge to entrench good road culture and behaviour.
He said Oyeyemi emphasised the importance of collaboration and stated that the Corps would increase its involvement and synergy with other security agencies to check the activities of recalcitrant offenders.
Kazeem also said that the Corps Marshal had assured Nigerians that the Corps had instituted measures to ensure safe travels before, during and after the Easter celebrations.
He stated that Oyeyemi elaborated that to achieve the above, motorists needed to imbibe safe road use attributes, particularly, the need to avoid excessive speed, overloading, driving under influence of drugs or alcohol among other things.
He said it was necessary to always take first driving precaution and avoid unnecessary rush; plan trips and cooperate with law enforcement agents.
He said members of the public were reminded to call FRSC’s toll free numbers: 122, or 0700-CALL-FRSC, 0700-2255-3772 for prompt rescue and removal of obstructions.
