The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Oluyole Unit command, Ibadan, in collaboration with Dexa Medica, on Monday donated crash helmets to commercial motorcyclists in Ibadan.

Joshua Adekanye, the FRSC Oyo sector commander, in his remarks during the distribution of the helmets to beneficiaries, urged them to avoid speeding, overloading and riding under the influence of alcohol.

Mr Adekanye, represented by the deputy corps commander, Tunde Adewale, commended Dexa Medica for partnering with the FRSC to ensure the safety of the lives of motorcyclists in the state.

Similarly, the unit commander, assistant corps commander Rita Omowa, said that the unit would intensify sensitisation and enforcement of the use of crash helmets for motorcycle riders operating in the unit’s jurisdiction.

Mr Omowa warned that any motorcyclist caught without a safety helmet after the sensitisation would be forced to undergo a mandatory enlightenment exercise in the FRSC office with a fine.

Also, the chairman of Ibadan South-West Local Government, Emmanuel Oluwole, called for synergy among security agencies to ensure that motorcyclists abide by the rules guiding the use of safety helmets.

Meanwhile, the brand manager, Dexa Medica, Nnamdi Ezeani, said the aim of the gesture was to ensure that safety becomes a culture among motorcyclists so as to reduce accidents in society.

“We have carried out the same exercise in Sokoto and Gombe, and arrangements have been made to distribute crash helmets to motorcycle riders in Ilorin and other locations in Nigeria very soon,” he said.

The state chairman of the Motorcycle Riders Branch, Oyo Park Management System, Saheed Omoowo, charged the riders not to limit the use of helmets when they want to embark on long journeys alone.

He warned that the motorcycle union would not shield any member arrested by enforcement agents for failure to use the safety helmets.

A beneficiary, Ibrahim Ayomide, said that the helmet would help protect him from dangers such as mental disorders and other negative occurrences associated with motorcycle accidents.

No fewer than 550 commercial motorcyclists in the unit command comprising Ibadan South-West, South-East, Oluyole and Ona-Ara local government areas received the helmets and some drugs from the company.

(NAN)