Road Crashes: Step-up Enforcement against Fatalities, Sector Commander’s Urged

Kasim Sumaina in Abuja

The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr. Dauda Ali Biu, has mandated sector commanders to strengthen enforcement and advocacy campaigns nationwide.

Biu said that the order was in line with the imperatives of cautioning trailers against conveying human beings on top of goods in their vehicles.

The corps marshal stated this while reacting to the avoidable road traffic crash that occurred on the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway on March 18, 2024.

The crash which involved a DAF Trailer, he said occured as a result of excessive speed, Overloading and fatigue. “This made the driver to lose control of the wheels thereby crashing into a ditch along the route.”

Report from the crash also revealed that it occurred at exactly 10.30 hours and involved a total of 172 people all male adults. Unfortunately, 10 victims were killed while 48 victims were rescued with different degrees of injuries.

A statement issued yesterday by Assistant Corps Marshal, Corps Public Education Officer, FRSC, Mr. Jonas Agwu, noted that “on the strength of the rising spate of this bad road use behaviour, the corps marshal has directed commanding officers to commence with immediate effect, result oriented patrol operations, as well as organise adequate mobile court operations alone critical corridors.

“FRSC rescue team, however, have concluded evacuation of the injured victims to Saint Anthony and Umaru Musa Yar Adua hospitals while the killed passengers were deposited at the morgue of the aforementioned hospitals as well.

“Efforts are still ongoing by FRSC’s operatives to follow up on the injured victims in the hospitals to ensure they receive necessary medical attention.”