By Ado Hassan, Sokoto
Federal Road Safety Corps RS10 Zonal Commander incharge of Sokoto/Kebbi/ Zamfara states , Mr Abayomi Omiyale has said that the command had recorded no fewer than 86 cases of traffic crashes with a total of 45 deaths within the first quarter of 2018.
Omiyale made the disclosure on Friday at a briefing in Sokoto.
According to the Zonal Commander 266 injuries were also recorded within the period.
” The number of cases shows an increase against 78 within first quarter of 2017 while the command significantly experienced a 53.1% reduction in deaths against 96 in previous year with 319 injuries”, he stated.
In the same vein, he disclosed that the command had so far issued 2,523 Permanent Drivers Licences and 2014 Temporary Drivers Licenses(TDL) respectively across the three states.
” We have 11 license issuing centres across the state’s under the command. We currently have 718 unclaimed licenses”, the Zonal Commander said.
Similarly, Omiyale confirmed the booking of 4,964 traffic offenders for over 5,000 offences while 195 vehicles owners were booked for the offence of overloading.
However, the top FRSC official disclosed that the agency had proactively mapped out its upgraded strategic operations under the Corporate Strategic Goals of enhancing social media and technology drive, improve and sustain enforcement and conventional services by reducing road traffic crashes and attendants hitherto, enhabce profesinalism and promote ease of the corps operations inorder to encourage stakeholders cooperations.
He regretted with shock recent fatal accident that claimed 11 lives on the Sokoto-Gusau road and another involving a trailer conveying 140 persons on the Sokoto-Tambuwal road.
” Though no death was recorded but 70 persons were injured and the remaining 70 did not sustain injuries”, he said.
The Zonal Commander however, cautioned both commercial and private vehicles drivers against overloading, over speeding and adherence to vehicle and trip inventory taking before embarking on a journey.
” A driver must profile his checklist irrespective of the nature of vehicle; trailer or other vehicles with high concentration on both the road and time”, he warned.
He said the command as part of its operational drive to boost its activities, introduced an early morning safety cry designed before the commencement of patrols by enlgihtening drivers at motor parks between the hours of 6am and 7am as well ensure responsive collaboration with the media and general public on road traffc education accordingly.
He further disclosed that the West African Road Safety Organisation(WARSO) would by May 8th, 2018 commemorates it’s annual events
