By Chimezie Anaso
Awka – The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) says no fewer than 1,350 regular and special marshals have been deployed for the 2019/2020 special Christmas and new year patrol in Anambra.
Mr Andrew Kumapayi, Sector Commander of FRSC in Anambra, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka on Tuesday.
Kumapayi said the command commenced its special patrol, codenamed “Operation Zero Tolerance Patrol” on Dec. 15 adding that it would run till Jan. 2020.
He said no fewer than 600 regular marshals and 750 special marshals would be on duty during the period adding that the command was fully ready for the Yuletide period patrol.
He said: “We are fully prepared for this year’s Christmas and New Year traffic patrol.
“We have started our operation zero tolerance patrol, as you are aware, this is a period is characterised by high vehicular movement.
“We are closing down our offices and virtually moving every activity to the road, our men will be available on the roads to ensure free flow of traffic and people have started coming back for the celebrations.
“The command mobilised over 600 regular and 750 Special marshals for the patrol,” he said.
Kumapayi said the FRSC had received assistance from Anambra government in terms of logistics assuring that machine and men would be deployed for seamless traffic flow during the period.
He said the FRSC would work with other sister agencies to also ensure optimal enforcement of traffic laws, warning that errant motorists would be made to face the law.
The sector commander said apart from Head Bridge where the command had built camp, attention would be given to other traffic flashpoints outside Onitsha like Nnewi, Ekwulobia, Agulu and Awka.
“Logistics have been made available to us, tow trucks for quick evacuation of broken down vehicles, power bike for float patrol, communication equipment and others.
“Stakeholders, including special Marshals, are there to assist us, we have a camp at the head bridge that will guarantee our presence 24 hours of the day, traffic will be meeting us there and not the other way round.
“We shall also focus on Tarzan junction, New part and Upper Iweka, to ensure unhindered access into and out of Anambra, we are pulling our men from the commands to those strategic areas.
“We shall reprimand erring motorists, though our focus is on traffic control but recalcitrant drivers will face Mobile Court.”
