By correspondent in Lokoja.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), says it has deployed 800 personnel for highway patrol in Kogi state, north central Nigeria, as part of its Operation Zero Road Traffic Crash for the yuletide.
The state FRSC Sector Commander, Mr Samuel Oyedeji, who said this in a statement in Lokoja on Wednesday added that the operation which commenced on Dec.15, would end on Monday, Jan. 15.
Oyedeji charged motorists to obey traffic rules, avoid dangerous driving, overloading and the use of cell phones when driving.
“This is because enforcement will be focused on checkmating and sanctioning traffic offenders so as to curb unnecessary loss of lives on the highways,” he said.
He said that the deployment included regular and special marshals, 25 patrol vehicles, 3 ambulances and a heavy duty tow truck to ensure free movement of vehicles during and after the yuletide.
“In addition to the manpower available in the state, not less than 40 personnel have been detailed from the FRSC Zonal Headquarters, Ilorin to beef up the manpower and senior officers from the RSHQ, Abuja would be on ground to monitor and supervise the exercise across the state.
“All these are in demonstration of our readiness to strengthen safety on the roads through series of operations aimed at ensuring free flow of traffic, curbing reckless driving and clearing the roads of abandoned vehicles which preceded the deployment for the festive season.
“These operations include: mobile court sittings, obstruction clearing on highways in the state in conjunction with the state government,” he said.
The sector commander said that four help centres had been setup in Ejule, Ajaokuta, Osara and Okene for prompt emergency rescue services as well as five camps in Lokoja, Koton Karfe, Zariagi and Okene for 24hours traffic control operations in and around the areas.
He appealed to contractors handling emergency work on some bad spots on the roads to expedite action on the rehabilitation works for a hitch free traffic giving the increase in the number of road users.
