NIGERIANS APPLAUD FRSC AS CORPS MARSHAL URGES SUSTAINED VIGILANCE ON THE HIGHWAYS

As the first phase of the end of year special patrol by the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) ends with the Christmas celebration, and the second phase of the exercise commences towards the New year, Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed has urged the personnel to sustain their vigilance and rededicate themselves to the assignment of keeping the roads safer. The Corps Marshal commended the staff for demonstrating commitment and resilience towards ensuring safer road environment during the Christmas, but enjoined them not to rest on their oars as the second phase of the exercise is equally very critical.

Meanwhile, Nigerians who experienced obstruction-free roads during their journeys home for Christmas have continued to applaud the FRSC for ensuring effective traffic management and called for more support to enable the organization tackle the menace of road traffic crashes more effectively during yuletide. According to Mallam Ibrahim Audu, who operates regularly between Abuja and Lokoja, the traffic situation during this year’s Christmas was more orderly with less cases of obstruction and hold-ups. This, he attributed to more orderly conduct of the drivers and the overwhelming presence of the FRSC personnel at the various points to direct traffic.

In the same vein, another motorist, Doc Bee who traveled from Bauchi to Yola on the eve of Christmas, and Mr Saeed Lateef, a resident of Ibadan, Oyo state who gave impressions of traffic situations in their various areas gave kudos to men of the FRSC for a job well done. While Doc Bee stressed the need for people to criticize and appraise in order to create a balance, he disclosed that he drove from Bauchi to Yola and was impressed by the organization of the FRSC officers and men directing and coordinating traffics at different points. According to him, what caught his attention most was the presence of Ambulance services at regular points from Bauchi to Yola.

“It’s a commendable work. I believe the presence of Ambulance services strongly suggested budgetary improvements. Well done,” he stated.

Reacting to the reports of the first phase of the special operations, Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed stated that the strategy of mobilizing the entire workforce and deploying all the logistics to the roads within the period was to give special attention to effective traffic management at this period of the year. The Corps Marshal further noted that while the review of the operations is still ongoing, preliminary reports indicate that so far,, the first phase of the exercise was a huge success and all hands will remain on the decks to ensure that the remaining parts of the exercise is not compromised.

“The morals of the personnel have been boosted through various welfare measures, and their commitment to the goals of freer road environment was what became manifest during the first phase of the exercise” he stated. “Furthermore, our collaboration with relevant stakeholders as well as massive road construction and rehabilitation carried out by the Federal Ministry of Works and FERMA also assisted in making the roads passable,” the Corps Marshal added.

It would be recalled that as part of the 2024 end of year special patrol codenamed, “Operation Zero Tolerance,” the entire workforce of the FRSC as well as the logistics have been mobilized to the nation’s highways from 15 December, 2024 and would remain till 15 January, 2025.