The Corps Marshal of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Dauda Ali Biu on Sunday ordered the sector commander to immediately set up a joint task force to conduct special patrol operations that would apprehend trailers and trucks carrying humans and animals. The Joint task force comprises the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigerian Army, Vehicle Inspection Office and State Governments.

DCM Bisi Kazeem, the spokesperson for the Corps stated that the directive followed the death of 18 persons in a crash involving 65 persons, which occurred at 5.20am along Abuja-Kaduna way on Sunday. No fewer than 27 persons were injured with various degrees at Jhangon Village. The Injured have been taken to the nearest hospital for treatment.

The crash occurred when a DAF trailer with registration Number KUJ 43XC overloaded with goods and humans lost control and fell into a ditch. Kazeem said the latest incident was sequel to an unfortunate auto crash that similarly claimed 18 lives in Niger State. He said preliminary investigations to the crash revealed that the fatal crashes involved trailers carrying humans and animals and the vehicles involved embarked on night journeys and describe the tragic incident as unavoidable.

The Corps Marshal decried the nonchalant attitude of the drivers nothing that the crashes could have been prevented if the drivers had taken adequate caution and obeyed simple traffic rules. He therefore directed the Sector Commanders to immediately set up the joint task force that will impound and prosecute trailer a trucks carrying humans and animals, and the mobile court should be immediate for prosecution of traffic offenders upon the immediate commencement of the operation.

SOURCE: PUNCH