Ogun FRSC arrest 31,695 offenders in 8 months

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ogun said it apprehended and prosecuted no fewer than 31,695 traffic offenders between January and August for various traffic offences.

The Sector Commander, Mr Adegoke Adetunji, told NAN in Abeokuta on Tuesday that the offenders were arrested for committing the various traffic offences with impunity.

Adetunji explained that the culprits violated speed limit, overloading, non-use of seat belts, use of mobile phone while driving, failure to use crash helmet and reckless driving, among others.

He said most of the offenders who were sanctioned through court prosecution, were made to pay fines.

“But as you know, we are not after the fines; FRSC is not set up to generate revenue for the government because it is not a money-making organisation. What we are after is to save lives and property on our roads.

“It is that desire to instil discipline and a change of attitude in motorists that we are interested in but not the money,” Adetunji said.

He, however, said that the command had already began sensitisation and enlightenment programmes in Mosques, churches and all the parks and garages in the state on the need to drive safely during the “Ember months”.

The sector commander said the theme for this year’s ember month programme was “Road safety is a shared responsibility, it depends on you”.

He said the theme was chosen to alert the public that road safety was everybody’s business.

“This year, we are targeting not only the drivers but also the passengers and the entire people who use the road”.

He said the emphasis on commercial drivers was to adhere to the practice of having a driver to 14 passengers in a bus.

He said that “road crashes are due to three major factors; namely human, environmental and weather”.

Adetunji urged motorists to observe traffic rules and regulations during the Sallah period to stay alive.