By Harrison Arubu
Abuja – The Operation Cobra of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has received a boost with the injection of seven more patrol vans into its implementation in the FCT.
Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, who launched the vehicles at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday, said the exercise had been a “huge success’’.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports this brings the total number of patrol vehicles dedicated to Operation Cobra in the FCT to 12, from five deployed at its inception.
The special traffic law enforcement exercise targeting life-threatening offences, including use of phone while driving, took off on June 31 with five patrol vehicles and 10 motorcycles’.
Oyeyemi said the number of traffic law offenders arrested under the special operation since its launch had risen to 8,361 as of Wednesday.
He stated that 4,463 of the arrested offenders were referred to public medical facilities for medical and psychological tests out of which 41 tested positive.
“Their driver’s licenses have been suspended until I receive a medical report that they are fit to drive again, and that is the normal practice.
“This is to serve as a warning to other offenders. They should not come to me pleading for waivers because it will not be granted.
“If you don’t want to go to a government health facility for emotional/psychological test or pay the fines, don’t jump traffic lights, don’t use phone while driving, don’t drive against traffic, don’t overload your vehicle, don’t violate other traffic laws.’’
Oyeyemi vowed to rid Abuja roads of recalcitrant motorists, especially commercial drivers involved in overloading, “by whatever force required’’ in the third phase of the operation to be launched in 2018.
He thanked the Federal Capital Territory Administration for supporting the FRSC with logistics and other facilities to carry out the operation.
He also expressed gratitude to the National Assembly for supporting the Corps’ push for an upward review in the fines for traffic offences in the ongoing amendment of the FRSC Act.
The FRSC helmsman lauded the “courage and firmness’’ of the commander and men of the Operation Cobra squad in the face of assault and harassment by members of the public.(NAN)