By ISHOLA MICHAEL, Bauchi

Bauchi State Sector Command of the Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC) has lamented that within the 30 days of the month of November, not less than 35 people were killed in various auto accidents across the state declaring that, “the devil has taken over Bauchi roads in recent times.”

Sector Commander of the FRSC, Yusuf Abdullahi who was addressing members of the Special Marshall of the Sector on Saturday at the Base during their end of the year meeting said, “I am very sorry to say, but the fact is that the devil has taken over our roads in Bauchi State. We really need to stand up and do something to reclaim these roads.”

He said that “the situation is so terrible, in the month of November, it was a case of one death per day because we had not less than 35 deaths from accidents across the state. This is worrisome and disturbing, something has to be done quickly.”

Yusuf Abdullahi added that “on the Bauchi-Kano road, we had accidents that claimed over 15 lives involving lone accidents as well a Keke NAPEP which had a lone accident before an oncoming Sharon ran into it.”

The worried Sector Commander also said that “on the Bauchi-Jos highway, we had a few head-on collision accidents involving mass transit buses which claimed not less than 15 lives with some of them burnt to ashes.”

He lamented that “All the efforts of the Sector to solicit for support from individuals in the state on how to check the accidents has proved abortive. We had a stakeholders’ meeting on the need for collaboration but it is a pity that no favourable response is forthcoming.”

Yusuf Abdullahi also picked the Darazo – Dukku – Gombe road as another bad spot particularly the bridge before Dukku which he said has failed and is now a death trap for motorists plying the road saying however that, “the Sector Command was able to get some empty drums from the FERMA office which were sand filled and placed strategically to serve as a caution to the road users.”

He then called on members of the Special Marshall to always collaborate with the Regular Marshall stressing that, “all the departments of the Road Corps are working for one goal – reduce road crashes, avoid deaths through accidents that are caused by the negligence of the road users.”

In his remarks, State Coordinator of the Special Marshall, Dr Kunle Gbadamosi commended the Sector Commander for always supporting activities of the Special Marshall unit stressing that the two are working together to save lives.

Kunle Gbadamosi though agreed that the situation on the Bauchi roads need to be attended to immediately saying that, “we have to join hands to pray and intensify enlightenment and education of the road users on the need to be cautious while using the roads."

The Special Marshall State Coordinator then assured that his members are ever ready to work with the Regular Marshall and others in order to have a safe road and reduce deaths through unnecessary accidents. (Saturday Tribune)

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