Lokoja – The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) says 45 persons lost their lives in 61 road crashes in different parts of Kogi State from Sept. 1 to Nov. 15.
The FRSC State Sector Commander, Mr Ogochukwu Ugboma, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lokoja while reviewing plans for their ‘’ember months’’ operation.
He said that 208 persons also sustained varying degrees of injuries in the crashes.
He said that 675 persons were involved in the accidents, stressing that the figures were on the high side when compared with the figure for the same period in 2014.
According to him, 24 deaths were recorded within the same period in 2014, while 186 sustained injuries.
He said that 40 crashes involving 355 persons were recorded in 2014.
The sector commander blamed the high number of fatalities recorded this year on over speeding because of the improvement of the Okene-Lokoja-Abuja road.
According to him, others likely reasons are disregard for the traffic regulations and lack of proper maintenance of many of the vehicles plying roads in the state.
He expressed the determination of the commission to halt the carnage on the roads during the ‘’ember months’’, saying that a daily 24-hour surveillance on Okene-Lokoja-Abuja road would commence on Dec. 15.
He also said that towing trucks and ambulances had been put on standby in case of emergencies, while Okehi Local Government had promised to rehabilitate adjoining roads in the area to ease traffic within Okene Township.
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Ugboma also said that the Obajana Cement Company had repaired the bad portion at Kabba junction, while the Federal Ministry of Works had pledged to grade a portion of Lokoja road from Zariagi to the bridge after Kabba junction.
He said that efforts were being made to discourage illegal u-turn from NATACO junction to the NNPC mega filling station in Lokoja, while more marshals and patrol vans would be deployed to strategic roads. (NAN)
