FRSC Records Increase In Number Of Persons Rescued From Crashes

Following the just concluded 2022 Easter Special Patrol, which lasted from April 14, 2022, to April 19, 2022, the Federal Road Safety Corps has stated that it rescued 405 people without injuries from a total of 131 crashes nationwide involving 857 people.

This figure released by the Corps represents 47 percent increase in a total number of people rescued without injuries.

The Corps revealed that there was a significant increase in the number of people rescued without injury during the 2022 Easter special patrol due to the wider coverage given to the operations within the period under consideration.

The Corps Public Education Officer of FRSC, Bisi Kazeem, who made this public, stated that 275 people were rescued without injuries in the same period in 2021, while 405 were rescued during the 2022 Easter special patrol without injuries, which marks 47 percent improvement from 2022 record.

However, he noted that the number of persons rescued with injuries from road traffic crashes during the celebration period is 84.

In the same vein, Kazeem mentioned that from the total number of 131 crashes recorded in 2022, 36 were fatal crashes, 72 were serious and 23 were minor.

He added that of the 857 persons involved in road traffic crashes during the 2022 Easter celebration period, a total of 84 people were killed as 213 Vehicles were involved in road traffic crashes across the nation during the period as follows: 15 tanker/trailers, 28 trucks, 40 buses, 85 cars, 35 motorcycles, 5 Tricycles, and 5 pickups.

Quoting the Corps Marshal, Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, Kazeem stated that the Corps now has a wider coverage due to the establishment of more FRSC Commands, Outposts, roadside clinics, and Zebra points that now feed in reports from different routes that were hitherto not thoroughly covered.

Oyeyemi stressed that the increase in the number of road crashes, increase in the number of persons involved, and increase in the number of persons killed are due to the reports that emanated from the new FRSC formations.

It will be recalled that Oyeyemi had earlier directed that the 2022 Easter special patrol should cover 50 corridors, which include: 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 other years where the focus was on critical corridors, Kazeem noted that the Corps intensified its Patrol operations and enlightenment campaigns by giving adequate coverage to all 50 routes across Nigeria.

Analyzing the Corps’ records for the 2022 Easter special patrol with 2021, a total of 6634 offenders were apprehended in 2022, a total of 8097 offences were recorded in 2022, and a total of 3,187 impoundments were made.

The Corps also revealed that with respect to Mobile Court sittings that were spread across Nigeria during this period, a total of 134 persons were arraigned in the 2022 Easter Special Patrol, 88 offenders were convicted with the option of fine, 21 were imprisoned and 20 persons got discharged and acquitted in 2022.

Further to this, Kazeem disclosed that in 2022, enlightenment through motor park rallies and radio programmes increased tremendously.

Kazeem noted that the Corps did not record any assault on its operatives and this could be attributed to enhanced stakeholders collaboration and engagement, an increase in public enlightenment, and the introduction of body and vehicle cameras for operatives.