Five operatives of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) were knocked down by motorists while performing their duties on various roads across the country.
The Corps Marshal of FRSC, Shehu Mohammed, who announced this on Monday, September 30, directed immediate prosecution of the culprits to serve as a deterrent against future occurrences.
According to the Corps Marshal, the incidents occurred across five sector commands: Ekiti Sector Command on September 6, Ogun Sector Command on September 8, Taraba Sector Command on September 15, Jos By-Pass Unit Command on September 19, and Obollo Afor Unit Command on September 24.
“Their deaths are not mere statistics, they represent human lives of dedicated fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and breadwinners, cut short in the line of duty while safeguarding Nigerian roads,” Mohammed said in a statement issued through the Corps Public Education Officer, Assistant Corps Marshal Olusegun Ogungbemide.
The Corps Marshal noted with great concern the increasing hazards faced by FRSC operatives, whom he said beyond being exposed to speeding vehicles, now contend with kidnapping, violent attacks, and targeted assaults.
He stressed that the FRSC would no longer tolerate acts of recklessness that endanger its staff, warning that offenders would be made to face the full weight of the law.
The Corps Marshal urged personnel across formations nationwide to exercise more level of alertness and ensure their safety is highly prioritised, noting that they need to be safe and alive to save others.
Mohammed also directed stronger engagements with relevant authorities on the protection of its personnel and installations, emphasizing that the measure was not intended for aggression but as a “safeguard to deter assaults and ensure that officers can perform their duties without fear of attack.”
While commiserating with the families of the deceased officers and saluting their courage and sacrifice, the Corps Marshal urged Nigerians to “honour their memory by respecting traffic laws, showing regard for FRSC operatives on duty, and supporting the Corps in its mandate to end avoidable deaths on the nation’s highways.”
He warned that disregard for traffic laws and the safety of FRSC personnel would attract serious sanctions and legal consequences going forward.
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
