Tuesday, 11 May 2021: The Federal Road Safety Corps, (FRSC), has commenced massive mobilisation of its personnel and operational equipment for the Sallah special patrol aimed at ensuring a safer road environment following the declaration of Wednesday and Thursday as public holidays for the  Eid el Fitr celebration in Nigeria

Corps Public Education Officer, Bisi Kazeem, while disclosing this, said no fewer than 35,000 of the FRSC Regular, Special Marshals, and Road Safety Club Members, about 750 patrol vehicles, 120 ambulances, 25 tow trucks, and over 200 bikes would be on the road during the special operation that would commence from 11 to 17 May 2021.

Kazeem stated that the Corps is embarking on the special patrol operation to ensure that motorists and other road users have a hitch-free celebration, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and security challenges in the country.

According to him, “The mission of the special operation is to ensure free flow of traffic, provide prompt rescue services and timely clearance of obstructions on all major roads and critical corridors across the country before, during and after the festive period as well as minimizing the occurrence of road traffic crashes on the nation’s highways through effective patrol operations and sustained public enlightenment campaigns”.

He added, “FRSC has a tradition of always organising special patrols during festive periods as a way of averting the chaos that characterises the road during the celebrations, as such, this year’s Eid el Fitr would not be an exemption. Motorists must endeavour to avoid traffic violations and remain conscious of their safety to avoid not only arrest and prosecution by members of the Corps but falling prey to avoidable road crashes”.

To ensure the effectiveness of the operations, Kazeem revealed that the Corps Marshal, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi directed commanding officers operating across various formations nationwide to ensure that the 52 corridors are properly manned throughout the period of the operations.

He, however, appealed to motorists to obey all traffic rules and regulations and cooperate fully with the FRSC and other law enforcement agencies that would be deployed for traffic management duties, saying Mobile Courts would be in session across the country for prompt dispensation of justice to recalcitrant traffic violators.

The Corps Marshal also directed that the operatives pay first-rate focus on effective traffic control, wrongful overtaking, Use of phone while driving, drivers licence violation, lane discipline, removal of rickety vehicles on the road, driving with expired/ worn-out tyre and without spare tyre etc.

To achieve this fit, the Corps has deployed operational equipment in the categories of Radar Guns, Breathalysers to put a check on drunk driving; operational logistics materials are also to be fully deployed for this exercise. More so, the Corps Marshal has equally directed that all Zebras must be active 24/7 and be responsive to calls within the minimum FRSC response time to crashes reported.

Kazeem noted that among the 52 corridors to be covered are: Akwanga-Lafiya-Makurdi, Jos-Bauchi-Gombe, 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, amongst others.