Udeme Bassey Eshiet, the Delta state sector commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has said that operatives of the corps who conducted themselves unruly last week Saturday at the Asaba/Benin highway will be punished according to the laws regulating the corps in Nigeria.
Although the sector commander did not reveal specifically the nature of punishment that will be meted out to the operatives who acted in contravention of the rules of engagement, he told journalists in Asaba that “a disciplinary panel is ongoing at the moment. They are currently standing trial.
“If I tell you the punishment we will give them you will come and beg me, even the driver told me that he did not want the matter to go too far.”
A viral video of the altercation between the road safety operatives and a commercial driver who was heading to Lagos from Owerri, the capital of Imo state, raised uncomplimentary comments on the social media.
The incident had reportedly dampened the image and reputation of the paramilitary body which the Delta state sector commander said was the only paramilitary institution recognized by the International Standard Organisation (ISO) in West Africa.
Giving details of the incidents to journalists at the Delta state NUJ press centre, Eshiet said: “The incident happened on 20th of January 2024, along Asaba/Benin highway. There have been so many versions of viral videos about the incident. I needed to come and set the records straight.
“The team was on their normal patrol. They flagged down a Toyota Sienna vehicle that was coming from Owerri going to Lagos. The driver tried to evade arrest. That is what drivers do on the road.
“One of the marshals was knocked by the vehicle, though he didn’t fall. The driver drove the vehicle into the road. Driving the vehicle into the road, another coming Sienna hit our patrol car. That was it. They stayed there.
“They tried to resolve it, many people arrive the scene. The driver of the vehicle came down and was angry and commenced fighting. Information reaching me was that he brought out a screw driver to deflate the tyres of the patrol car.
“For all that happened, the head of operations was there, he decided to take the two parties to the office with the help of members of the Nigeria police force. They were taken to our office. The manager of the commercial vehicle arrived. Before then, the driver was wounded.
“A special marshal took the driver and paid for his treatment. The case settled amicably in the office with the manager. He said he is going to take his vehicle back for repair. But the custom of the FRSC, we do not tolerate such kind of incident, we don’t send operatives to block people on the road and cause that kind of damage to people’s vehicles.
“The command therefore reported accordingly and the corps marshal directed that the matter be handled and reported back to him. That we have done.
“I want to use this opportunity to tell the motoring public that the FRSC is not in our character to behave the way the operative behaved. That being the case, members of that team are already facing disciplinary actions, and if found culpable, they will be punished accordingly.
“While the driver of the Sienna, I, the commander got in touch with him, asked of his welfare and decided to support his treatment so that the burden will not be too much on him. This I have done.
“Let me use this opportunity to tell the motoring public that it is always good that when you are flagged down, you slow down, and you stop. It may not necessarily be booking. It’s not all the time we book offenders. Some it may be for public enlightenment. Others may be to make you know certain things that are faulty in your car.
“The command has taken further steps that we will not be having serious patrol operations along Asaba/Benin expressway till further notice. We will also not be having our patrol team at the bridge carrying out re-enforcement till further notice.
“These are steps we have taken in attempt to douse tension and re-orientate the staff of the command to operate in a manner that the motoring public will be endeared to us and we will be able to punish whoever is violating traffic offenses and violations. That is the stand of the corps as far as this matter is concerned.
“The incident is not a representation of the modus operandi of the federal road safety corps. We are the only ISOL certified organization in West Africa as far as paramilitary organisations are concerned.
“Occupying such a position make us to be an elite corps and we must do what is right. We must do all in our capacity to ensure such acts do not repeat itself again.
“We have been having series of reports of certain negative practices by our operatives. All these made us to bring our men out and say no, we want to give them re-orientation starting from February. We will talk to them and remind them of what they were taught in the camp.”
