The Area Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, (FRSC) Area 8, ACM Hyginus Omeje, yesterday called for more dedicated trial courts to prosecute traffic offenders.
Omeje, who is the Zone Commander of FRSC, Zone 8, comprising Kwara State, Ekiti and Kogi States, made the call during the first quarter Zone Retreat for Officers and Marshals specials held in Ado-Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti.
He said the appeal has become necessary as one of the proactive measures to ensure a change in attitude among motorists using the country’s highways.
He denounced the high rate of deaths recorded in the area during the reporting period, saying the body would adopt more proactive measures to reduce the recurrence of the incidence.
Omeje said the resulting number of fatal crashes has increased due to the dramatic increase in the condition of federal highways.
He said the retreat was aimed at developing a strategy to achieve the Corps 2022 strategic goals of reducing deaths by 15%, strengthening the FRSC partnership for innovative actions and consolidating our data management.
“I have to tell you that our mortality figures in the zone for this first quarter, we are not comfortable with that.
“We found that what is responsible for these numbers is that the federal highways are improving in terms of road conditions and what that implies is that drivers are now speeding excessively on these highways .
“For example the Ogbomoso-Ilorin-Jebba road axis, even the old Oyo-Ogbomoso road which has been rehabilitated, we now see that we have more deaths on this axis.
“We will stop at nothing, including lawsuits to ensure the desired reduction in accidents on the roads of the country, in particular the roads of the zone.
“I discovered that motorists will be prepared to pay fines rather than go to court. We will start using what they feared the most to reduce the threat of road accidents,” Omeje said.
The area commander said the corps had directed area commanders to synergize with their justice ministry to ensure dedicated trial courts are set aside to hear FRSC cases.
“The Zone 8 guidelines state that after seven days a ticket or citation is issued and motorists have not reported themselves they must follow that traffic violator.
“They should go to the dedicated trial courts for a ‘writ of summons’ to prosecute him,” Omeje added.
He, however, reiterated the FRSC’s commitment to keeping the country’s highways safe through intensive sensitization in religious centers and public places.
In his own commentary, Ekiti FRSC Sector Commander, CC, Ocheja Ameh, thanked the corps for choosing the Ekiti command.
Ameh said he was optimistic that the retreat would improve their service delivery to Ekiti in particular and the area in general.
Among those present at the event are FRSC Sector Commander Kogi State, CC Solomon Agure, his counterpart from Kwara State, CC, Jonathan Owoade, Dr Adetayo Adedayo, Area Coordinator of Special Marshals , among others.
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