The Lugbe Unit Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Ohaeri Osondu, on Thursday said that the agency comprises staff known for not adopting a violent approach in arresting offenders.

Mr Osondu said in Abuja that the corps had never applied any violent or harsh approach while enforcing traffic rules and regulations.

He said that it was not part of the agency’s modus operandi to be harsh to motorists caught for offences.

There had been several reports by members of the public about the degree of violence being applied by officials of the corps while arresting traffic offenders.

According to Mr Osondu, “as far as I am concerned, and by our rules of engagement, we have our modality for enforcement of traffic rules and regulations.

“Violence is not part of our ways of enforcement. Road safety personnel do not apply violent approach in arresting offenders.

“When a FRSC personnel sights you on patrol, the first thing is to find out if there are any primary offences.

“For instance, maybe you are not putting on your seat belt. Apart from that, an officer uses the radar gun to identify the speed at which the motorist is going.

“While approaching the patrol team, you can be flagged down once you are guilty. When this happens, you are expected to pullover.

“When you pullover, officers will engage you politely, ask you questions and from there, they ask you about your vehicle particulars. There and then, your offence will be mentioned.”

The unit commander, however, said that there could be a kind of resistance from the motorists, but the FRSC personnel would not be involved in violence.

Mr Osondu said: “Even if there is an argument from the motorist’s end, we still do not apply all these kinds of harshness in the way we enforce.

“We still follow a subtle approach. So, at the end of the day, I want to believe that there will be an understanding between the offender and the arresting Marshal. As the case may be, the needful will be done.” 

(NAN)