By; ADAMA JOHN, Lokoja
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Kogi Sector Command has said that it has deployed 800 personnel to patrol the highways across Kogi State as part of its “Operation Zero Road Traffic Crash for the yuletide”.
The State Commander of the FRSC in the state, Mr. Samuel Oyedeji who disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday in Lokoja, said the operation which commenced on Dec.15 will terminate by January 15 next year.
The Sector Commander implored motorists to strictly adhere to and obey traffic rules to avoid unpleasant consequences cautioning that they should avoid dangerous driving, overloading and the use of cell phones while driving.
He said that enforcement of the rules will be “focused on checkmating and sanctioning traffic offenders so as to curb unnecessary loss of lives on the highways.”
Mr. Oyedeji said 25 patrol vehicles, including three ambulances and one heavy duty tow truck were being deployed to ensure free movement of vehicles during and after the festivities, adding that regular and special marshals were being deployed.
“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.
Oyedeji stressed 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 24-hour traffic control operations in and around the areas.
He appealed to contractors handling emergency works on some bad spots on the roads to expedite action on the rehabilitation works to enable hitch-free movement of traffic given the expected increase in the number of road users during the festivities.
