By Deborah Coker
Benin, June 13,No fewer than 4,351 traffic offenders have been arrested for 5,061 offences between April and May by the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), zone Rs5, comprising Edo, Delta and Anambra.
Mr Ayodele Kumapayi, Zonal Commanding Officer, in charge of the zone, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Benin.
Kumapayi said that though three states make up the zone, the figure was however recorded from two states, Edo and Delta.
He explained that this was because patrol operations in Anambra had been suspended temporarily, due to incessant attack on FRSC personnel and facilities in the state.
“Patrol operations are going on in the zone as scheduled, but we have had to suspend that in Anambra due to insecurity and incessant attack on our personnel and facilities by unknown gunmen.
“What we do in Anambra now is more or less traffic control, public education and advocacy visits. But as soon as situation improves, we will resume enforcement,” he said.
Kumapayi also disclosed that within the period under review, the zone recorded 43 persons killed in 83 road traffic crashes.
He explained that whereas 51 crashes were recorded in April with 21 persons killed, in May, however, 29 crashes were recorded with 22 persons killed.
“You can see that road traffic crashes drastically reduced when you compare the figure from both months, and we want to even bring it down further this month of June till the end of the year.
“This is to enable us achieve the goals for the year which is 15 per cent reduction in road traffic crash fatalities, and we believe it is achievable,” he said.
Kumapayi noted that in view of bringing down road traffic crashes across the zone, efforts were being put in place at curtailing crashes.
According to him, brake failure and excessive speed have been observed to be a major cause of crashes as the rains intensify.
He, therefore, said that there was need for motorists to avoid excessive speed, drive with caution and avoid risk taking on the road.
“Drivers should not overtake in a bend, avoid night travel, they should not drink and drive, alcohol and drug is prohibited and should be avoided especially for drivers going on long journeys.
“There is need for them to concentrate on the steering, avoid eating, phone calls and unnecessary discussions with passengers while on the steering, lane discipline must be cultivated and trailers must stay on the slow lane to allow for over taking by smaller vehicles,” he said.
He said that as directed by the national headquarters, operation ‘Total War on Critical Offenders’ (TOWCO), was being carried out on special days of every month.
He said that personnel on enforcement and rescue services were been trained and retrained, while the hitherto moribund special marshals operations in the zone had been revived.
Kumapayi, who also spoke about the driver’s licence, disclosed that in the first quarter of the year, 27,037 licences were produced for the zone while 26,479 were collected.
According to him, 8,677 have been produced so far in the second quarter.
He, however, said that 63,670 licences produced from more than two years had yet to be collected by their owners. (NAN)
