Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, has deployed no fewer than thirty-five thousand regular and special marshals across the country for the Eid el Kabir celebrations.

According to FRSC Corps Public Education Officer, Bisi Kazeem, the mass deployment was aimed at ensuring safer roads during the festive periods and beyond.

Kazeem said the corps had also deployed 736 patrol vehicles, 120 ambulances, 25 tow trucks and 204 bikes in the special operation that would commence from Friday, Aug. 9 and would last for a week.

The officer said the special patrol operation became necessary due to the Corps’ commitment to its 2019 Corporate Strategic Goals of reducing Road Traffic crashes (RTC) by 20 per cent and fatality by 25 per cent.

“FRSC has a tradition of always organising special patrols during festive periods as a way of averting the chaos that characterise the road during celebrations.

“As such, this year’s Eid el Kabir will not be an exemption.

“Motorists must endeavour to avoid traffic violations and remain conscious of their safety to avoid not only arrest and prosecution by members of the corps, but falling prey to avoidable road crashes.

“The mission of the special operation is to ensure free flow of traffic, provide prompt rescue services and timely clearance of obstructions on all major roads and critical corridors across the country before, during and after the festive period.’’

Kazeem quoted the Corps Marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi, to have directed commanding officers operating across various formations nationwide to ensure that the 52 corridors were properly manned throughout the period of the operations.

He said among the 52 corridors to be covered are Akwanga-Lafia-Makurdi, Jos-Bauchi-Gombe, Sokoto-Tambuwal-Jega-Birnin Kebbi.

Others are Katsina-Kano-Wudil-Dutse-Azare-Potiskum, Kaduna-Saminaka-Jos, Abuja-Kaduna-Kano, Okene-Ogori-Isua-Owo and Sagamu-Mowe-Lagos corridors.

The corps marshal also directed that the operatives pay first-rate focus on effective traffic control, wrongful overtaking, use of phone while driving and driver’s licence violation, among others.

The corps said it had deployed operational equipment in the categories of radar guns, breathalysers to check drunk driving.

Also, the Badagry Command of Federal Road Safety Corps has deployed 100 personnel for the Eid-el-Kabir celebration slated for Aug.11 to Aug.13.

The Unit Commander, Babatope Agbaje, said the step was taken to prevent road accidents and ensure free flow of traffic during the Sallah holidays, saying the command staff and special marshals, which would be over 100, would be on duty during the Muslim festival, adding that no personnel would be given leave or pass until after the celebration.

“We have put together all the black spots and discovered that not only black spots that accidents do happen.

“Our officials will be stationed at black spots and accident-prone areas to ensure that motorists abide by traffic rules.

“We have marked areas like Iya-Afin Road, Mowo bend, Aradagun, Gbaji and Badagry Roundabout; we will extend the monitoring above the usual 6.00 p.m. during the celebration.

“I want to assure the public that we will try our best to ensure there will be no case of accident during this period,’’ Agbaje said.

The unit commander said that the command had been enlightening the public on the need to ensure accident-free Eid-el-Kabir festival.

“Badagry, being a tourist town, we are expecting visitors from different states and towns.

“People living within will also want to come out; this is to tell you that the command must be on its toes to ensure safety of lives during the festival.

“One of the enlightening programmes the command is doing is letting the people know that life saving is everybody’s responsibility.

“We have taken the slogan ‘Life Saving Begins with You” awareness campaign to churches, mosques, markets, motor parks and public places.

“We have met with commercial motorcycle riders, known as Okada riders, and tricycle drivers; we need to buy their conscience into the awareness programme.

“Our work did not limit us to highways alone. The command has taken its enlightening campaign to religious leaders, traditional rulers and high chiefs in Badagry communities.

“The campaign is to ensure an accident-free festival and to ensure that motorists abide by traffic rules, during and after the festival,” he said.

Agbaje said the command would partner towing truck owners to ensure immediate towing of vehicles causing obstructions during the holidays.

He said the command would also partner para-military agencies like the police, civil defense men and LASTMA to ensure things would go on well during the holidays.

Agbaje advised motorists to ensure their vehicles are in good condition before embarking on any trip during the festival.