The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) says it has deployed 750 personnel and 16 vehicles for its end of the year intensive operation codenamed “Operation Zero Tolerance to Road Traffic Crashes”.
The Sector Commander in FRSC Enugu State Command, Mr Adeyemi Sokunbi, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday after briefing all staff of the Command on the operation.
Sokunbi said that a total of 430 Regular Marshals and 320 Special Marshals had been deployed to man various road corridors and strategic locations in the state.
He said that the Command also deployed two motorbikes and16 vehicles, which included: an ambulance with full complement of medical facilities and a recently received tow truck from the FRSC headquarters.
According to him, Operation Zero will run between Dec. 15 (today) and end on Jan. 15, 2024; and all regular and special marshals will fully be involved without any leave or pass given to any personnel.
The sector commander said that the Command before now had identified 22 critical traffic build-up points in the state that needed daily manning to ensure traffic flow, adding: “we have effectively deployed personnel on shift bases to these points.”
He said that the Command had notified and is currently carrying its stakeholders, sister security agencies and even construction companies, that might provide us with a bigger tow truck if need be, along in this operation.
Sokunbi said that recently he met with the state’s Federal Controller of Works, adding: “I received assurance from him that palliative work will be done on some portions of Enugu-9th Mile-Nsukka-Obollo Afor Road within few days to make it passable”.
He noted that the Federal Controller of Works also assured opening up all as well as newly constructed portions of all Federal Highways within the state to ensure free flow of traffic.
He said, “We are ready to fully carry out this year’s Operation Zero, we have made adequate deployment and sensitization to our stakeholders and sister security agencies to assist us in reducing road crashes this festive season.
“The objectives of the operation included: to reduce road traffic crashes (both fatality and injuries) to the barest minimum; prompt response to road traffic victims and quick removal of obstruction to allow for free flow of traffic.
“Free flow of traffic in all strategic and critical corridors within the state especially the Enugu-Awka-Onitsha, Enugu-Aba-Port Harcourt, Enugu-Abakaliki and Enugu-9th Mile-Nsukka-Obollo Afor Federal Roads.
“There will be aggressive enlightenment using all known channels of communication be it one-on-one interaction with motorists, going to talk to passengers early before they set out for their journeys, various media engagements and issuing out road traffic advisory.”
The commander also said that FRSC personnel would watch out for vehicle overloading, vehicles conveying humans and animals together as well as for drivers engaging in distracted driving by using phones or engaging in text messages on the roads.
He said that FRSC patrol vehicles would monitor reckless/dangerous driving, speeding, lack of lane discipline on the road and other road violations with a view of correction and education of motorists against such practices.
He said: “I appeal to road users and travelers to set out their journey on time. This is to create enough time to attend to any unforeseen circumstance or development while on the journey.
“Night journeys should be avoided due to its inherent dangers. If there is a crash at night, getting rescued is difficult; the driver can doze off on the steering-wheels and men of the underworld could also attack the vehicle.”
