By Ebere Suzy Okoye
The FRSC Corps Marshal, Chief Osita Chidoka, has revealed that the current special yuletide patrol of the commission had led to decrease in road crashes in the country.
Chidoka speaking to newsmen on Tuesday in Onitsha said that Anambra before embarking on an aerial surveillance of roads in South-East, South-South and North-Central as part of the commission’s “Operation Zero Tolerance’’ campaign.
The commission launched the campaign on Dec. 19; which involved its deployment of 34, 000 of its officers and men, 484 vehicles, 102 patrol bikes and 4 helicopters for aerial surveillance for the campaign as well as logistics to major roads in the country.
Chidoka said that with the recent vehicles and facilities “donated to us by the World Bank, the FRSC has been able to keep the road crashes level low and maintained continuous flow of traffic in envisaged traffic dense spots’’.
“On the statistics between Dec. 19 and Dec. 23, 2013; 107 people were killed in road crashes as against 156 people last year within the period under review.
“We had had 214 road crashes within these five days; while in 2012 within the same days, we had 236 road crashes.
“And from the statistics there had been reduction in the road crashes incident and deaths and I believe that there had been general decrease in road deaths and crashes this year compared with 2012,’’ he said.
He said that within these five days; 4,051 offenders were arrested for 4256 offences; while the FRSC mobile court had arraigned 569; convicted 404 and discharged 85 persons.
The corps marshal said that the special patrol would run to Jan. 12; while the FRSC regular and special marshals would be on alert throughout the period.
“The special patrol is in consonant to President Goodluck Jonathan directive to make sure there is traffic flow and travelers do not suffer unduly’’.
He urge road users to be patient and should not over speed; adding that they should co-operate with FRSC officials and maintain a single lane “especially where traffic is dense’’.
Chidoka thanked the army, air force, police and state traffic agencies for their support to FRSC.
On the aerial surveillance, he noted that it would help to inform the FRSC officers and men on ground on where attention is needed as well as monitor in a “clear view of traffic movement within a distance of a road’’.
