Corp Marshal gives account of FRSC’s Special Patrol Operation during Easter, Eid-El-Fitr
By Aliyu Yakubu
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has announced that they are deepening ongoing collaboration with the judiciary across the 36 states of the federation to ensure speedy trial of drivers involved in road traffic crashes.
This was disclosed b the FRSC Corps Marshal, Dauda Ali Biu, during The Press Conference to give account of outcome of the 2024 Easter and Eid-El-Fitr Special Patrol Operations, held in Abuja.
According to the Corps Marshall drivers and vehicle owners who cause crashes on the roads will be made to face the wrath of the law to serve as deterrent to others who are recalcitrant and drive dangerously or recklessly on the road.
Biu revealed that records from the Special Patrol Operation shows a significant reduction in the nu,mber of road accidents and phenomenal improvement in rescue operation across the country.
In his words, he said, “Results obtained so far from the two special operations show that during the 2024 Easter Special Patrol period, the Corps recorded 62 road traffic crashes. This is against 107 in the same period of 2023, representing 42% decrease.
“These crashes involved 417 people in 2024, in contrast to 705 in the previous year, also indicating a significant reduction of 40.9%.”
Further analysis shows that, of the aforementioned crashes, the Corps also recorded reduction in fatalities as 33 victims were killed in 2024 against 81 killed in the same period in 2023.This represents 59.3% reduction.
In the same vein, the Corps Marshall said that the Corps was decisive in her rescue operations, as 195 people were rescued without injuries in 2024 against 345 in the previous year.
“This represents a drop of 43.4% in number of people injured. At the same time, while 189 people got rescued without injury in 2024, a total of 279 people were rescued without injury in 2023, representing 32.3% reduction,” Biu said.
The record further discloses that during the 2024 special patrol a total of 4916 offenders were apprehended. This is in contrast to the 7110 recorded in 2023 representing 30.9% decrease. In addition, the Corps has a record of 4319 offences during the 2024 outing, against a total of 8220 in 2023 indicating 47.5% decrease. The Corps also arraigned 66 traffic offenders in Court, convicted 61 and discharged 5 drivers.
Similarly, during the Eid-El-Fitr special patrol, the Corps recorded 42.5% reduction in road traffic crashes, 39.6% reduction in number of people involved, and 52.5% reduction in number of people killed. Also, while 32.6 decrease was recorded in number of people injured, the Corps said it achieved 43.8% reduction in number of people rescued without injuries.
Giving further details on the basic data for the sallah operations, Biu said, “In 2023, the Corps recorded 127 road traffic crashes, this number was reduced in 2024 to 73 representing 42.5% reduction. In addition, while the total number of people killed in 2023 was 59, people killed in the same period in 2024 reduced to 28, signifying a drop of 52.5%. In 2023, a total of 772 people were involved in aforestated crashes, while 466 got involved in 2024 representing 39.6% reduction.”
On injuries, the Corps said it recorded a total of 334 people rescued with injuries in 2023, this figure is against 225 recorded in 2024 representing 32.6% decrease; while in 2023, 379 victims were rescued without injuries, the figure reduced to 213 in 2024 representing 43.8% reduction.
On offenders and offences during the eid, the Corps arrested 5629 offenders in 2023. This figure reduced in 2024 to 4815 signifying a drop of 14.5%. These offenders committed 6654 offences in 2023 while in the same period of 2024 they committed 5721 representing 14% decrease.
While Biu commended the doggedness, resilience and capacity of its personnel he said the success achieved through a combination of collaborations including with the Federal Government, as well as the cooperation of our numerous stakeholders, particularly the media.
Speaking on the milestone, Biu said, “Within the last few months, we have moved beyond rhetoric. A number of concrete actions have been taken which contributed to the successes we have achieved. We have realised more than ever before, the increasing need for collective participation and collaboration of all stakeholders. We leveraged on this as a necessary variable that would help us achieve the mileage we have recorded within the periods under consideration.”