The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, has said that he sacked his domestic driver recently in a confrontation with the officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps.
He condemned violent attacks on the operatives of FRSC on life-saving duties, while also pledging the support of the military to the Corps providing a safety net on the Nigerian highways.
Buratai, spoke on Monday in Abuja at the FRSC 30th Anniversary celebrating, where the Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of FRSC, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, disclosed that some officers of the Corps are undergoing training for arms-bearing.
The Federal Government had approved arms-bearing for the men and officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps following an upsurge in violent attacks and killing of some of its operatives during legitimate duties.
The Chief of Army Staff said: “We have also ensured that all the Nigerian Army Officers have their drivers licence, and indeed all our soldiers have their driver’s licence. This is one of the policy directives that I passed on my appointment.
“Just about two weeks ago, my domestic driver had a clash with members of the Road Safety Marshals. When he was apprehended and checked, the Road Marshals entered the vehicle to take him to their station to answer for his misdemeanour, the driver drove off recklessly and tried to escape along with the Road Safety personnel. The following day, I have to sack that particular driver,” he said.
He, however, expressed concern about the rising cases of road carnages, urging FRSC to ensure reduction of road traffic accidents by 50 percent.
He also called on the government to ensure that road signs are conspicuously displayed on the highways, saying he was glad that the image of the Corps remains very high.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, in his address at the occasion said, the establishment of the Road Safety Corps, years ago, was a comprehensive approach by the Federal government to tackle the menace of road traffic crashes and deaths on the Nigerian highways.
He said the current administration has particularly provided enormous support through improved budgetary allocation and provision of logistics support to the FRSC in line with the value attached to the safety of Nigerians on the roads.
Mustapha assured Nigerians and the international community that all necessary support would be given to the Corps to reduce road traffic accidents to the barest minimum according to global standards.
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Mahmud Yayale, who was the Chairman of the occasion and Moderator of the Open House 2018″, challenged the Federal government to speed up road repairs across the country.
He noted that road crashes could be reduced by 50 percent if the roads are in good condition and the drivers “are sensible”.
