The Sector Commander, Corps Commander, Mr Solomon Agure, said this in a statement by Mr Ayodeji Oluwadunsin, Command’s Public Education Officer, on Wednesday in Lokoja.

Agure said that the deployment of personnel, including Special Marshalls to the highways was aimed at instilling effective and efficient handling of the expected high volume of traffic in and outside of the state.

He said that Kogi, as a confluence state and gateway to the Northern and Southern parts of the country was always characterised by huge volume of traffic, especially during festive periods such as Eid-El-Fitr celebration.

”Of course, the deployment of our personnel, including road marshalls will be to identify some black spots along Kabbah-Lokoja-Abuja road, Lokoja-Obajana road, Ayingba-Ajaokuta-Lokoja road and Koton-Karfe-Lokoja highway beginning from April 29 to May 4.

“What we are trying to avoid is a situation whereby innocent lives will be subjected to untimely death due to recklessness and carelessness of some motorists on the highways.

“This is because, most times, we are saddened by the preventable road crashes recorded in Kogi in recent times and to do our best at avoiding such during this festive period.

“It will interest you to know that the regular officers and special marshals of the command have already met and  mapped out plans to mitigate road crashes before, during and after the Sallah,” he said.

The sector commander said that the plan was geared toward ensuring that there was safe motoring and free flow of traffic on the highways for everybody to enjoy, most especially at this period when people are always in a hurry to get to their destinations.

“As a command, we are assuring the public that we shall leave no stone upturned to see that travellers, returnees and other motorists do not suffer undue stress this season,” he said.

Agure, however, warned motorists against speeding and overloading.

According to him, these are some of the main factors contributing to road crashes and untimely deaths in the state and on the nation’s highways.

He noted that the command was working out modalities with the state judiciary to arrest and promptly prosecute traffic offenders, with severe penalties to serve as deterrent to others.

He wished Muslim faithful a happy and glorious Sallah celebration and assured that the command would continue with its enlightenment campaigns to ensure free flow of traffic on the highways.