FRSC Flags Off "Operation Shield IV"

As part of renewed determination to mitigate against the prevalent occurrence of road traffic crashes and fatalities along critical corridors of the nation’s highways, the Federal Road Safety Corps has concluded plans to flag off a nationwide special intervention patrol tagged “Operation Shield IV”, slated for 25^th – 29^th August, 2014.

 

According to the FRSC, the all inclusive exercise which is pursuant to the Corps’ 2014 strategic goal to reduce road crashes by 15% and fatalities by 25% by the end of the year, will witness massive deployment of 240 personnel, 43 patrol vehicles, 7 ambulances and 4 heavy duty tow trucks.

 

Speaking on the deployment, the Corps Public Education Officer, Corps Commander Stella Uchegbu said “ FRSC  operatives for corridor 1, covering Kaduna-Abuja-Okene highway, will be stationed at Abaji Unit Command as operational base while those for corridor 2 (Lagos-Ibadan highway) will operate from Mowe Unit Command”.

 

In the same vein, he added that Edo Sector Command in Benin will serve as operational base for corridor 3 (Benin-Asaba highway) with strict enforcement of traffic rules and regulations, intertwined with robust public enlightenment campaigns.

Uchegbu also said that the major focus for the special exercise will be on speed limit violation, lane violation and overloading in addition to other road vices.

 “Operation Shield which has entered its 4^th version, is designed with the primary aim of shielding road users from the incidence of road crashes which has been witnessed recently along specific routes of the highways”.  

“this exercise will witness massive deployment of personnel and logistics along the critical corridors with emphasis on public enlightenment, clearing of obstructions and the enforcement of road vices such as lane indiscipline, speed limit violation, overloading and other violations”.

 

While identifying attitude of motorists as a major causative factor for most of the road crashes, Uchegbu also urged for behavioural change among Nigerian drivers who have resorted to flagrant violation of traffic rules and regulations such as speed limit violations even in the face of improved road condition across the country. She further disclosed that the Operation Shield exercise will be sustained by the FRSC especially in view of the need to deliver on its core mandate of enthroning safer roads and fuller lives to Nigerian road users.