The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said it rescued 405 people without injuries from 131 crashes nationwide involving 857 people, during the 2022 Easter special patrol from April 14 to April 19.
This is contained in a statement by the Corps Public Education Officer (CPEO) Assistant Corps Marshal (ACM) on Thursday in Abuja.
Kazeem said there was a significant increase in the number of people rescued without injury during the 2022 Easter special patrol exercise.
This, he said, was due to the wider coverage given to the operations within the period under consideration.
He stated that 275 people were rescued without injuries in the same period in 2021, while 405 were rescued during the 2022 Easter special patrol without injuries, which marked a 47 percent improvement from the 2022 record.
Kazeem, however, noted that 94 persons were rescued with injuries from Road Traffic Crashes (RTCs) during the celebration period.
In the same vein, he said from the total number of 131 crashes recorded in 2022, 36 were fatal crashes, 72 were serious and 23 were minor.
Kazeem added that out of the 857 persons involved in road traffic crashes during the 2022 Easter celebration period, a total of 84 people were killed.
According to him, 213 vehicles were involved in road traffic crashes across the nation during the period.
“15 tanker/trailers, 28 trucks, 40 buses, 85 cars, 35 motorcycles, five Tricycles, and five pickups,” he said.
Kazeem quoted the Corps Marshal, Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, as saying that the Corps now had a wider coverage due to the establishment of more FRSC commands.
This, he said, included outposts, roadside clinics, and zebra points, that now send in reports from different routes that were hitherto not thoroughly covered.
He stressed that the increase in the number of road crashes, increase in the number of persons involved, and increase in the number of persons killed were due to the reports that emanated from the new FRSC formations.
“It will be recalled that Oyeyemi had earlier directed that the 2022 Easter special patrol to cover 50 corridors which include, but are not limited to Sokoto-Tambuwal-Jega-Birnin Kebbi.
“Mokwa-Birnin Yero-Zaria; Maiduguri-Biu-Numan-Jalingo-Wukari; Lafia-Langtang-Pankshin-Jos. Others were Abuja-Lokoja-Okene; Lokoja-Auchi-Benin; Onitsha-Njaba-Owerri-Umuahia, Ibadan-Oyo-Ogbomosho; and Ibadan-Ogere-Shagamu.”
“This is in view of the directive of the Corps Marshal which is a move away from other years where the focus was on critical corridors,” he said.
Kazeem noted that the Corps intensified its patrol operations and enlightenment campaigns by giving adequate coverage to all 50 routes across Nigeria.
He analyzed the Corps’ records for the 2022 Easter special patrol with 2021 as a total of 6, 634 offenders were apprehended in 2022; while a total of 8,097 offenses were recorded in 2022; and a total of 3,187 vehicles were impounded.
He also stated that with respect to Mobile Court sittings that were spread across Nigeria during this period, a total of 134 persons were arraigned in the 2022 Easter Special patrol.
“88 offenders were convicted with an option of fine, 21 were imprisoned and 20 persons got discharged and acquitted in 2022,” he said.
Kazeem said in 2022, enlightenment through motor parks, rallies, and radio programmes increased.
He said the Corps did not record any assault on its operatives, saying that this could be attributed to enhanced stakeholders’ collaboration and engagement.
This, he added, could be increased in public enlightenment, and the introduction of the body and vehicle camera for operatives.