The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has deployed 36,224 personnel and 1,226 patrol logistics to ease vehicular movement during the Christmas and New Year celebrations across the country.

The FRSC acting corps marshal, Dauda Biu, said this during a press briefing on Monday in Abuja.

Mr Biu said the FRSC had maintained a culture of organising special patrol operations, code-named ‘Operation Zero Tolerance To Road Traffic Crashes’, over the years.

He said the operation is strategically organised at the end of the year, in swift and passionate readiness to tackle the envisioned increase in vehicular traffic.

“On this note, a total of 25,224 personnel in the category of 7,100 officers, 18,124 marshals and over 11,000 special marshals have been deployed to cover all the identified areas across the country.

“Management staff, zonal commanding officers, sector commanders, and other senior officers of the rank of Deputy Corps Commanders (DCC) in the national headquarters, as well as corridor commanders, are also deployed to the field commands.

“This is to also ensure compliance with the operational guidelines issued at the beginning of the exercise,” he said.

According to him, 743 patrol vehicles, 184 administrative vehicles, 132 ambulances, 23 tow trucks and 144 motorbikes have been deployed as part of the patrol logistics.

“A number of extricating machines and digital breathalysers are part of the tools set aside for the special operations, in addition to 23 help areas and 15 traffic control camps,” he said.

Mr Biu said the corps has also put a situation room at the national headquarters to monitor the activities across the country.

“This is in addition to the activation of 28 Road Traffic Crash Clinics and 46 Zebra points located along the major routes.

“These will be covered by 92 ambulances that would be fully utilised to respond promptly to rescue cases and convey injured victims to hospitals for more professional attention,” he said.

The FRSC boss urged the entire community of road users to give the corps maximum support and cooperation by complying with all safety measures.

The measures included abiding by all established traffic laws so that incidences of road traffic crashes could be drastically minimised,” he said. 

(NAN)