It’s Not Easy to Control Nigerians on the Highway- FRSC Boss Explains Why Operatives Need to Have Guns
The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Shehu Mohammed has explained to the Tinubu-led government that arming road safety operatives may be the only way to enforce traffic laws effectively on Nigerian highways.
Disclosing this during an interview on Arise News on Thursday, Mohammad further highlighted that his men face a lot of difficulties when trying to stop heavy-duty vehicles.
He said; “How do you stop a trailer or a tanker on the road? How do you just do that? It’s very, very difficult. A truck, especially a truck with probably 100 passengers on top, with animals, and you only have four personnel as a team on patrol, and trying to stop a trailer, how do you do that?.”
According to the FRSC boss when asked how arms would help them discharge their duties better;
“It will support. If you don’t have the power to enforce anything, there’s no way you can achieve that enforcement.
”without adequate power of cohesion, enforcement is nearly impossible.”
Mohammad also addressed allegations that some of its operatives engage in bribery and extortion acknowledging the existence of such challenge while emphasizing that the Corps has been stricter than most agencies in punishing offenders.
He also added that the FRSC has a standing standard operating procedure to check misconduct.
On driver’s licence fees, Mohammad cleared that the corps do not charge more than official rates as against public complaints.
He explained that the fee has been ₦15,000 for three years while it’s ₦21,000 for five years.
According to him; “It’s still the same figure, the same amount.”
While he apologized to Nigerians for the stress of getting licences processed, the FRSC boss promised that a new and improved system and a successful and efficient service delivery would be ready in the first and second week of October.
Recall that the House of Representatives passed a bill at second reading in October, 2024, to establish an Armed Road Safety Corps; a specialised squad under the FRSC with powers to carry weapons and enforce road laws more robustly.
