The Federal Road Safety Corps has directed its commanding officers to step up nationwide enforcement against overloading by vehicles and ensure public safety.

The Corps Public Education Officer, Olusegun Ogungbemide made this known during an interview on Sunday in Abuja.

Mr Ogungbemide dismissed accusations that the FRSC was not enforcing against overloading, describing it as “not a fact established.”

He stated, “There is no place where you visit today where you won’t find overloaded vehicles being impounded for one infraction or the other. Evidence of ongoing enforcement is regularly shared on FRSC’s social media platforms, including recent arrests made across various locations. In 2024, between January and December, the corps impounded overloaded vehicles and arrested offenders in all the 12 zones of the FRSC. For example, 777 overloaded vehicles were impounded in Kaduna zone, while 500, 489, 223, 489 and 89 vehicles were impounded in Sokoto, Oshogbo, Bauchi, Lagos and Yola zones respectively. Others include 289, 356, 140, 1,266, 440 and 157 overloaded vehicles impounded in Jos, Benin, Port Harcourt, Abuja, Ilorin and Enugu zones respectively. This brings to the total of overloaded vehicles impounded as 5,217. So, this is ongoing, and we won’t relent until road traffic crashes are curbed on Nigeria roads.’’

Mr Ogungbemide, however, acknowledged the challenge of “recalcitrant offenders” who persist in overloading vehicles despite repeated arrests, adding that the corps conducted daily enforcement operations nationwide.

He said, “We have not relented in advocacy, especially towards commercial drivers and commuters, to discourage entering overloaded vehicles.’’

On measures taken to curb the practice, Mr Ogungbemide stated that enforcement remained the primary tool, backed by sustained public enlightenment campaigns.

He added that commuters play a critical role in supporting the corps’ efforts by refusing to patronise overloaded vehicles

He stated, “We’ve been doing this for 37 years, but unfortunately, some drivers are still bent on violating traffic safety rules. So, we are enforcing more and engaging the public directly. We also believe that if there’s no market for these drivers, it won’t be enticing for them. But when passengers are available, they take advantage and overload.’’

The FRSC spokesman also said that special directives had been given to command units, particularly in northern regions, to crack down on “mixed loading.’’

Mr Ogungbemide explained that “mix loading” which involves transporting of passengers alongside goods and animals in the same vehicle posed serious risks.

“As the country enters a busy travel season, the FRSC has increased its surveillance and engagement efforts to ensure safe transit for all road users,’’ he noted.

(NAN)