Abuja – The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has stated that 49 people died from a total of 119 crashes, involving 701 people recorded during the just concluded 2022 Eid-el-fitri special patrol that lasted from April 29 to May 4.
The FRSC in a statement issued in Abuja said that 360 people were rescued without injuries during the period.
This figure according to the data released by the Corps, represents 35.3 per cent increase in total number of people rescued without injuries when compared with 266 people rescued without injuries within the same period in 2021.
The Corps Public Education Officer, Bisi Kazeem in the statement attributed the performance to high mobilisation and deployment of personnel and logistics for enhanced visibility of operatives on the highways.
He, however, stated that the number of persons rescued with injuries from road traffic crashes during the 2022 celebration period was 292.
The FRSC Corps Marshal, Dr
Boboye Oyeyemi, was quoted in the statement as saying that the Corps now has a wider coverage due to the establishment of more FRSC Commands, outposts, road side clinics and zebra points.
He further said that the new formations now feed in reports from different routes that were hitherto not thoroughly covered.
According to him, the increase in number of road crashes, increase in the number of persons involved, and increase in the number of persons killed are all due to the reports that emanated from these new FRSC formations.
It will be recalled that Oyeyemi had earlier directed that the 2022 Sallah special patrol should cover several corridors which include but not limited to Sokoto-Tambuwal-Jega-Birnin Kebbi; Mokwa-Birnin Yero-Zaria; Maiduguri-Biu-Numan-Jalingo-Wukari; Lafia-Langtang-Pankshin-Jos; Abuja-Lokoja-Okene; Lokoja-Auchi-Benin; Onitsha-Njaba-Owerri-Umuahia, Ibadan-Oyo-Ogbomosho; and Ibadan-Ogere-Shagamu.
“In view of the directive of the Corps Marshal which is a move away from previous years when focus was on critical corridors, the Corps intensified its Patrol operations and Enlightenment campaigns by giving adequate coverage to all identified routes across the country,” the statement said.
Giving further analysis of the records for the 2022 special patrol, Kazeem said that a total of 4,701 offenders were apprehended while a total of 5,877 offences were recorded and 2,259 impoundments made.
He also disclosed that in 2022, enlightenment through Motor park rallies and Radio Programmes increased tremendously.
“Just like the Easter special operations, the Corps did not record any assault on its operatives and this could be attributed to enhanced stakeholders collaboration and engagement, increase in public enlightenment, and the introduction of the body and vehicle camera for operatives,” he said.(vitalnews)
