By IBIRONKE ARIYO

The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, has approved deployment of personnel across the nation’s highways for a hitch free Sallah celebrations.

The Corps Public Education Officer, ACM Bisi Kazeem, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

Oyeyemi also directed Commanding Officers to collaborate with the COVID-19 Task Force teams and security agencies, to ensure maximum compliance with established rules.

He noted that orders and directives on physical distancing, compulsory use of face masks and the use of hand sanitisers should be strictly adhered to.

According to Oyeyemi, the special patrol had commenced from July 22 to July 30.

He maintained that the massive deployment of personnel was to ensure free flow of traffic, prompt removal of obstructions and timely rescue services, in the event of any road traffic accident.

“These are critical to the realisation of a safe motoring environment during the season and beyond,” he said.

Oyeyemi outlined the modus operandi for a successful 2020 Eid-el-Kabir celebration and gave commanding officers matching orders to enforce all established laws and orders on safe road use.

He charged the officers on the need to give maximum effect to the presidential orders, revealing that the objectives of the special patrol was to achieve among others, the following:

“Compliance with protocol and guidelines set up by the various states, with respect to the COVID-19.

“Curtail the occurrence of road traffic accidents within the period and provide prompt rescue services, when necessary.

“Ensure full deployment of patrol vehicles, ambulances, tow trucks, bikes and other patrol equipment.

“Collaborate with security agencies to ensure effective traffic management, increased visibility on the highways and strict enforcement of overloading and physical distancing violations among commuters,” he said.

The FRSC boss warned that the special patrol was necessitated by the upsurge in road traffic volume and the rise in COVID-19 cases nationwide.

He stated that the strategies deployed were anchored on achieving a decline in the transmission of the virus among commuters and the need to mitigate the attendant risks of road traffic accidents.

Oyeyemi instructed the commanding officers to apprehend any vehicle caught in the act of overloading their vehicles with both persons and goods.

He said that the traffic offenders were to be prosecuted in the already established mobile courts across the federation.

The corps marshal, therefore, called on Nigerians to be at alert, cautious and exhibit required road discipline before, during and after the celebrations. (NAN)

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