The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) on Thursday said it had deployed 36,000 personnel comprising regular and special marshals across the country to ensure smooth traffic during the yuletide.
The Corps Marshal, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, disclosed this while addressing newsmen in Abuja according to Bisi Kazeem, Head, Media Relations and Strategy, FRSC.
Oyeyemi said the end of year operations which would last for 28 days from Dec. 19 to Jan.15, 2016 would address traffic challenges.
He said this year’s special patrol was planned after conducting studies on traffic trends during the last operations, adding that logistics such as ambulances, patrol vehicles and rescue equipment had been deployed.
“I wish to point out that from the strategic goals of 15 per cent reduction in road traffic crashes and 25 per cent in fatality rate set for 2015, the corps is on course.
“For instance, as at September 2016, we had achieved 77.19 per cent of the expectation in road traffic crashes reduction, while 83.33 per cent was achieved in respect of the fatality rate reduction.
“The special patrol operation with the theme:“ Crash the Crash’’ involves participation of law enforcement agencies as well as transport unions with support from some civil society organisations.
“The Nigerian Air force would render aerial support for the success of the exercise by assisting in monitoring traffic trends and giving prompt directives for remedial actions to boost the efficiency of the operations,’’ he said.
The corps marshal said that 12 help areas had been established to ensure prompt response to safety and health issues that affect smooth movement during the period.
He listed the areas as, Osara in Kogi ,Ilesha in Osun , Ore in Oyo ,Mowe in Ogun ,Giri in FCT, and Agwu in Enugu.
Others are: Ajaokuta in Kogi, Lambatta in Niger, Akwanga in Nasarawa State , Bazuaye in Bauchi State ,Jattu in Edo and Onigari in Iwo area along Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
Oyeyemi said that possible alternative routes along some major corridors in the bid to decongest gridlocks were also created for the benefit of the travelers who might need them.
He said for instance, travelers could use the Lokoja –Kabba-Ayere-Akunu-Ise junction-Ikare-Ado –Ekiti-Ilesha or go through Lokoja-Kabba-Ayere-Akunu-Isu junction-Oka Akoko.
He added that travelers could also go through Lokoja-Okene-Ogori Magogo-Owo or follow Lokoja-Ajaokuta-Ejule-Otukpa-Obollo Afor.
The corps marshal said other routes are: the 9th Mile-Udi-Oji River-Umunze, the Bauchi-Alkaleri-Kaltungo route and the Kaduna-Kachia-Kwoi-Manchok roads.
He also listed the Keffi-Nasarawa-Toto, Abuja-Lokoja route and the Ikorodu-Sagamu, Lekki-Epe-Ijebu-Ode and the Sango-Ifo-Abeokuta routes.
Oyeyemi said that with the measures put in place by the corps, movement of people and vehicles from one location to another during the yuletide would be smooth.
He called for the support of all stakeholders, saying that all hands must be on deck to ensure that the corps achieved its goal of creating safer motoring environment for all travelers.
He said the though the FRSC’s 200 mobile courts would be sitting nationwide , the emphasis this year was not on prosecution and fines but on safety of the travelers.
Oyeyemi said the corps would work round the clock to ensure safety on the highways and urged Nigerians to call the FRSC toll free number 122 in case of an emergency or for removal of broken down vehicles.