El-Rufai Bans FRSC from Operating in Kaduna State

El-Rufai Bans FRSC from Operating in Kaduna State

Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai has barred personnel of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) from carrying out operations on the streets of Kaduna and other urban centres in the state.

The decision was reached at a Security Council meeting chaired by Governor El-Rufai which had in attendance his Deputy, Mr Barnabas Bala, and heads of military and paramilitary agencies in the state.

This was disclosed in a statement Wednesday by the Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr Samuel Aruwan, who said the decision was pursuant to the overwhelming cry of the general public, Punch writes.

“The council acted following complaints that FRSC officials were acting in ways reminiscent of the VIO that was dissolved by the state government following widespread unease at their acts of disrespect for the public and penchant for extortion,” he said.

The directive is supposed to ensure that FRSC personnel desist “from indiscriminately stopping vehicles for inspection in Kaduna town, a situation which has been responsible for avoidable traffic congestion and accidents.”

As a result, FRSC officials will henceforth concentrate their activities “in ensuring safe travel on highways such as the Abuja-Kaduna expressway.”

Alongside FRSC personnel, petrol tankers have also been barred from loading firewood, tomatoes and other goods on top of their vehicles throughout the state, owing to the danger such practices pose to lives and property.

 The statement added that, “The Security Council, therefore, mandates security agencies to ensure compliance with these directives, and relevant agencies were also directed to impound defaulting tankers.”

While the new directive will come as good news to motorists in the state who’ve long held a grouse against FRSC, there’s the danger of endangering road users across the state.

Unlike their VIO counterparts, FRSC has a far wider scope of operations apart from their role as generators of revenue.

These are indeed interesting times in the Crocodile City.