By Ibironke Ariyo
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on Thursday impounded no fewer than 50 vehicles within two hours along the Giri–Gwagwalada–Lokoja highway as it began a nationwide clampdown on overloading and other traffic violations.
The operation marked the commencement of a 30-day enforcement exercise aimed at reducing road crashes during the Christmas and New Year season.
Speaking during the inauguration in Abuja, the Corps Marshal, Malam Shehu Mohammed, said the Corps would no longer tolerate what he described as “madness” and “rascality” associated with overloading on Nigerian roads.
Mohammed, who was visibly angry with the attitude of motorists, particularly drivers of articulated vehicles, directed the unloading of the goods and passengers.
He said the corps had sought for the cooperation of transport union leaders to bring sanity to the nation’s highways.
He also said the FRSC invited key transport unions, including the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) and the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) to support the operation.
This, he said, was after earlier state-wide town hall meetings with drivers, community leaders and passengers.
He noted that appropriate steps would be taken to ensure that those removed from the overloaded vehicles received transport fare to their destinations.
Mohammad said the enforcement would run daily, round the clock, until Jan. 15, with officers deployed across all major routes.
“The 50 vehicle impoundments reflect the scale of violations the Corps plans to address nationwide. The leadership of RTEAN has made adequate provision to ensure that passengers did not bear the consequences,” he said.
The Corps Marshal said traffic offenders would be prosecuted immediately through mobile courts already established in all 37 sector commands, including the FCT.
He said judicial officers assigned to the courts would impose penalties on drivers found guilty of offences.
“Such offences are overloading, speeding, drink-driving, driving under the influence of drugs, and driving without valid licences or up-to-date vehicle papers.
“Also, drivers usually receive a reminder two weeks before their vehicle papers expire and are expected to renew them promptly.
“Anyone caught with expired documents during the operation will be fined,” he said.
The FRSC boss emphasised that passengers in overloaded vehicles would not be punished, saying that FRSC buses would convey them back to motor parks, while transport unions would pay their fares to their destinations.
He said the approach was designed to protect innocent passengers and ensure they were not “demoralised” by the enforcement activity.
Mohammed added that although the operation was intensified for the festive period, the crackdown would continue beyond January to restore sanity on the roads.
Speaking, the RTEAN President, Dr Musa Mohammed, pledged full support for the FRSC in its ongoing nationwide enforcement against overloading and other traffic violations.
Mohammed said the association, which represented vehicle owners across the country, does not support overloading or any act that endangers the lives of passengers and road users.
He said RTEAN had made it clear to its members that drivers must not consume alcohol or smoke Indian hemp while on duty, adding that any member found violating such rules would be punished by the association.
He said the association joined the FRSC operation because of the rising cases of fatal crashes in the country, noting that some incidents had claimed 12, 10 or even five lives at once due to poor driving behaviour.
“The enforcement is necessary to protect human lives and properties, and to ensure that traffic laws are implemented in line with the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.
The RTEAN president stressed that the operation was not intended to punish commuters adding that RTEAN would assist stranded passengers by transporting them back to motor parks.
This, he said, would be by providing replacement vehicles, and paying their fares to their destinations.
Mohammed, however, said drivers were fully aware of traffic laws and penalties, and should not pretend otherwise saying “every offence and its corresponding fine is clearly stated in the traffic regulations.
He urged commuters to use only recognised garages and avoid entering vehicles from roadsides to reduce exposure to “one-chance” criminal activity.
“RTEAN will continue to work with the FRSC to improve road safety across the country,” he assured.
In his remarks, Sulaiman Danzaki, Senior Special Adviser on intergovernmental and international matters of NURTW, said that the union has been part of the FRSC from its inception and continued to support its road safety policies.
Danzaki said NURTW regularly advised the FRSC on strategies to reduce road accidents on Nigerian highways and commended the Corps for their tremendous efforts in implementing policies.
On internal control measures for drivers, Danzaki said high speeds often result from competition among drivers for the next destination.
“To address this, NURTW has implemented an internal control system whereby drivers are given a pass ranking, ” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the exercise which was a joint special operation led by the Corps Marshal, was to educate and enforce traffic rules for effective traffic management on the route usually characterised with overloading of vehicles with goods and passengers.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)