FRSC: Lagos Sector Command flags off ‘Ember Months’ Safety Campaign

• records 74 deaths in Q2 Of 2022

The Federal Road Safety Corps’, Lagos State Command has on Wednesday 26, November, commenced this year’s safety campaign at a flag off ceremony at the More Blessing Motor Park, Ikorodu, with the theme; “Avoid Over Speeding, Overloading, Unsafe Tyre to Arrive Alive”.

The event has a large turn out of major stakeholders, transport unions, and men from regulatory agencies who delivered messages advocating the reduction of road crashes through compliance to road safety regulations.

In his message, Assistant Corp Marshal, Peter Kibo, the Zonal Commanding Officer, ably represented by Segun Ogungbemide, the Sector Commander of the FRSC, Lagos Sector, started by asserting that road safety is everybody’s business and not of the Corps’ alone, stressing that one of the greatest blessings God gave to Lagos is traffic gridlocks.

He explained that during gridlocks and traffic bottlenecks, Crashes are very low and almost non-existent. However, when the roads are free, you will find drivers over-speeding and before long we will start having calls to evacuate crash victims on the roads, revealing that a total of 74 death was recorded in the second quarter of the year, while 232 people were injured.

He said another 10 death was recorded at Shagamu interchange fire accident recently adding that safety of the road is indeed everybody’s business.

“Many users accuses Government for not repairing the road, but we have a high number of crashes on a smooth roads.” Kibo said.

He said that virtually all the religious houses were always praying for protection adding that both drivers and commuters too had roles to play on safety on the road.

He advised commuters not to leave the safety of the road to drivers alone because they also had their motive and interest to increase their turnover while they engages in over speeding which could lead to accident .

Kibo said that many of the reckless drivers do not feels pain of death and urged them to avoid over speeding while driving.

He pleaded with drivers to motoring public to avoid night driving saying that 50 per cent of death recorded in 2022 so far happen in the night.

In a goodwill messages, stakeholders advised motorists to obey safety rules in other to avoid crashes.

In his opening remarks, its Head of Operation, Mr Lucas Oguntade described ember months as the month were intensive activities took place which involved traveling from one place to the other.

Oguntade advises motorist to ensure of their safety and always check their health status which would help them in reducing accident on the road.

He said a lot of accident were causes as a result of bad eye sight as he commended the effort of medical expert who support them with free medical test and Vision Spring for providing 250 free glasses to driver with bad sight.

In his goodwill message Lt. Col. Emmanuel Sholotan, Commanding officer, 174 Battalion, Nigeria Army Ikorodu, urged road users to avoid use of drugs and over speeding.

The Commissioner of Police (CP), Lagos, Mr Abiodun Alabi, Represented by Assist. CP Mr Oludotun Odubona, commended efforts of FRSC for complementing police duties and assisting Government to reduced crashed in Nigeria.

Alabi said that parking on the road to pick passengers caused a lot of traffic which also encouraged robbers to take advantage of the situation at the bus-stops.

He pleaded with road users to desist from consuming alcohol which he said was advert for accidents.

The General Manager, Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA), Mr Bolaji Oreagba urged road users to obey the traffic law of all regulatory agencies to assist Government achieve it aims.

Oreagba, represented by LASTMA Controller, Mr Jubril Oshodi, said that 2020-20230 safety declaration action by the United Nation (UN) amid to achieved crashes to 50 per cent compared to figured of crashes occurs between 2012 and 2020.

He said that the UN had looked forward and expected that Nigeria should understand that road safety was Paramount and essential for all everyone.

He urged drivers to ensure they laid safety foundations before moving their vehicles on the road adding that the safety begins from point of origin to destination.

The Assistant Commandant, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Lagos , Mr Igbeke Austine, said that most accident had something to do with drug abuse.

Austine said advised road users to avoid taken alcohol which he said it intoxication body, made someone to misbehave and also affect health.

The Partnership Manager, Leadway Assurance, Mr Rotimi Olowofela, said accident happened suddenly which no driver had power over it.

Olowofela said that a total of 3,345 accident happened on the first quarter of 2022 in Nigeria adding that 1,834 people were killed as a result of the road accident.

He urged drivers to obey the rules and avid crashes.

The Chairman More Blessing Park, Sobo, Ikorodu, Alhaji Gbeminiyi Animashaun, pleaded with other parks officials to desist from taken alcohol.

He said that if motor drivers leaders takes alcohol that other drivers at the parks would engage in illicit drugs which would endanger passengers.