- * Re-affirms Commission's Resolve To End Speed Related Crashes And Driving Against Traffic
By Jelili Oyekanmi (Transport/Tourism Reporter, in Abuja) and Chinelo Ogbodo (Enugu State Correspondent)
The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps, Dauda Ali Biu, has, for the umpteenth time, advised the motoring public to avoid night trips due to the dangers that come with it.
Biu, while reaffirming the readiness and determination of the Corps to bring to an end all speed induced crashes, said his Commission has put machinery in motion towards rejigging FRSC's operational strategies for positive results.
The FRSC boss's admonition, according to a statement on Easter day, Sunday April 9, 2023 by the FRSC Spokesman, Mr Bisi Kareem, an Assistant Corps Marshal (Corps Public Education), came on the heels of considerable increase in speed related crashes and fatalities recorded in recent times.
Notable among the crashes, is the fatal motor accident that occurred yesterday (Easter Eve), Saturday April 8, 2023, at exactly 8:20 pm, at 0.45km, before the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Ituku-Ozalla, along the Enugu-Okigwe-Portharcourt Expressway, Enugu State.
The crash involved a Toyota Hiace Commercial Bus and a Mercedes Benz Truck with registration number AAA264XR. A total of 15 people, comprising of 13 occupants on board the Toyota Hiace and 2 occupants in the Mercedes Truck were all killed and burnt beyond recognition.
The report revealed that the fatal crash was caused by excessive speed and route violation which is driving against traffic popularly referred to in local parlance as 'One Way'.
The Mercedes Benz Truck driver in violation of established traffic rules drove against traffic, thereby colliding into the Toyota Hiace commercial Bus that was already on a high speed.
As at the time of filing in this report, the Chairman of Nkanu West Local Government Area Council, Hon. Uchenna Calistus Ejim, has authorized the commencement of a mass burial for the burnt victims in the presence of the Nigeria Police Force, FRSC, and other sympathisers.
The Corps Marshal, while reassuring the public of the Corps' readiness to combat crashes on Nigerian roads, said that unfortunately, most of the crashes that have occurred, would have been avoided if the motorists played by the rules of driving and exhibited high level of compliance to traffic regulations.
He therefore called on all road users to restrain from abusing traffic laws and always be safety conscious at all times. NNL.
