Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, has condemned the incessant attacks and molestation of the agency’s operatives and vowed to prosecute all those involved.
A statement by Corps Public Education Officer, Bisi Kazeem, made available to Qed.ng on Tuesday noted that the response came on the heels of the recent shooting of two FRSC staff and the detention of another in a police facility in Abia State.
“Many road users are abusing the civility of the unarmed personnel that are trained to be cautious while discharging their legitimate duties,” Oyeyemi began.
“In the past, many FRSC operatives had been abducted, killed, assaulted, ran over, threatened and shot.
“It is also disheartening that some of the attackers misinformed the unsuspecting public by releasing manipulated information to gain public sympathy.
“Attempts are often made to make the aggressors looked like the victims.”
The corps marshal said the FRSC remains the nation’s lead agency on road traffic administration and safety management empowered to arrest and prosecute erring motorists.
In addition to the vicious attack on FRSC personnel in Abia, the corps marshal also listed recent violence against his men in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Jigawa and Oyo.
Boboye said that all the attacks had been collated, well documented and would be brought to the attention of all the relevant arms of government for necessary action. Enough, he said, was enough.
The corps marshal, however, assured all staff that the corps would not leave any stone unturned to prosecute all those involved in the recent spate of attacks.
He also said additional steps were being taken to further protect staff performing their legitimate duties and asked them to continue to discharge their duties without fear or ill-will.
“The hallmark of gallant operatives is never to be deterred by negative influences but focused in the commitment to service for the sake of posterity,” Oyeyemi added.
He appealed to all sister security operatives and the general public to always come to the aid of the marshals when they are under threat.
“If the laws are not strictly enforced,” he said, “road safety becomes the first casualty. Nobody knows the next victim.”
