The Federal Road Safety Corps on Sunday cleared the air on a trending video of a road traffic crash that occurred in recently in Ibadan, Oyo State, which claimed the lives of a personnel of the Corps from Oluyole Unit Command in Ibadan, and one other person.

A statement signed by Corps Public Education Officer Bisi Kazeem, said that after investigations ordered by the Corps Marshal, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, it was discovered as follows:

“At about midday of Wednesday, 6/11/19 around 1100HRS a team of FRSC Personnel assigned to monitor and control traffic were approached by a truck driver who intended to make an enquiry from one of the members of the team.

“In the course of the inquiry, a Mercedes Benz ran into the patrol vehicle and in the process killed the Marshal attending to the driver of the truck and the other person making inquiry while discussing, with the other FRSC Official occupying the driver’s seat who was also seriously affected by the crash and eventually had one of his legs amputated at the University Teaching Hospital (UCH) Ibadan.”

Continuing, Kazeem said: “Information gathered at the scene of the crash and from first responders (eye witnesses) as well as the Police revealed that contrary to some insinuations in the trending video, the FRSC Patrol vehicle was not in motion when the incident occurred.

“The seriously injured victim was rushed to the hospital for medical attention while the deceased were taken to the morgue.

“It is also of importance to intimate the public that the alleged reckless driver has been taken to court and charged accordingly.

“A magistrate court sitting at Iyagakun, Ibadan, Oyo State, on Tuesday, 13 November, 2019 subsequently remanded the suspect (driver of the Mercedes Benz vehicle) in prison custody till 8 February, 2020 when the case would be heard.

“The Magistrate who gave the accused some bail conditions which include providing two sureties in the sum of One million naira each, who must be at least level sixteen Officers working in reputable organizations and who own landed property in the state.

“The accused having not met the bail conditions, was remanded in prison custody.”

FRSC urged the public not to believe the trending insinuations that the personnel were in pursuit of any traffic offender.

According to the statement, “It is quite an unfortunate incident but a reality that the job of the Corps is very hazardous in nature. The Corps however pleads that the motoring public should be more cautious while on the highways and should drive defensively. The life you save may be yours!”

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