₦airaland Forum

FRSC officials to bear arms

Sooner than later, personnel of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) could turn up at their duty posts armed.
A member of the FRSC board, who sought anonymity, told The Guardian: “The FRSC has built its armoury in Gwagwalada Abuja, while there are weapon rooms in all the commands of the corps.

We are waiting for government to gazette the approval and equip the armoury in line with the act that established the corps.


The essence of the ongoing training and workshop for the personnel is to prepare them on how to comport themselves while bearing arms on duty.”

The commission’s spokesman, Bisi Kazeem, however, disclosed that though the act permits FRSC personnel to bear arms, the corps is waiting for government to gazette the approval.

“I am not aware that the government has perfected a plan to gazette the approval. I am not aware of that,” he said.

In December 2016, the FRSC was forced to release a statement urging members of the public to ignore reports that the corps had begun distributing and mandating its personnel to carry arms.

It followed a complaint by Corps Marshal Boboye Oyeyemi that 70 officers lost their lives that year to reckless motorists.

Kazeem had told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the rumour was being circulated by mischievous elements seeking to provoke disorder in the society.

Some “irresponsible” people took a statement by the Corps Marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi, out of context to suit their agenda, he said.

“The Corps Marshal only stipulated that such a high number of loss could have been avoided, if FRSC personnel were carrying arms, as allowed by the law.


But, he quickly added that there is no immediate plan to implement the law that permits the officials to carry arms.

It is unfortunate that some wicked people now took that to mean he said officials are now being armed; it is a figment of their imagination,” he said.

Statistics show that rather than reduce, about 149 cases of attacks and 201 instances of damage to property of the commission have been reported in recent times.

But a member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Nnaemeka Nnadi, thinks arming marshals is a step too far.

He expressed concern that the move would put commuters and drivers at risk.

“Some of the personnel do all sorts of thing while on duty.

Some go the extra mile in using their official vehicle to block other vehicles on the highway.

Is that not a dangerous and stupid act? Some extort money from road users.


Arming them will give them more courage and guts to dare people recklessly while on duty,” he said.

A security expert, Ademola Ojeh, also dismissed the idea as unnecessary.

“I don’t know why government should arm FRSC personnel, when their job is not to arrest or kill criminals. Their work is more of civil than criminal.”

But reminded that the law permits them to bear arms, Oje replied: “That section of the act should be repealed.”

On his part, Patrick Adenusi, coordinator of a non-governmental organisation, Safety Beyond Borders, said attacks on marshals are no justification to issue them arms.

It will be recalled that in October, last year, the House of Representatives called on the Federal Government to facilitate the procurement of arms and ammunition for the FRSC.

It followed a motion by Bulus Maren (Plateau-PDP) where he expressed concern over violent attacks, harassment and intimidation of personnel by highly placed individuals, motorists and hoodlums.

He said cases in Zamfara, Jigawa, Abia and Lagos State were particularly disturbing.

“Officers sometimes discover offensive weapons in vehicles during routine operations on highways but are incapable of challenging occupants of such vehicles, as they lack the capacity to protect themselves from any attack that may arise,” Maren said.

The motion was unanimously adopted. The House, thereafter, mandated its committee on FRSC to investigate attacks.

Source: https://m.guardian.ng/news/frsc-officials-to-bear-arms/

Suicide for motorists

Nawa

We have been hearing dis news for years now.. Let dem go ahead with it or stop scaring motorists with it.. I don't know if we are at war. We already have d Nigerian Army, D Nigerian Customs, Nigerian Police, Vigilantes, Civil defence all carrying guns... Now we want to add Road Safety to d list? Very soon Peace corps, boys scout , VIO and even road maintenance agencies will all carry guns..

This is a bad idead. A very bad one

Wahala de o, soon them go start to check people phone

I sincerely hope this idea even though still being broached, will be shelved.

What's it with the militarization and armament. Not even in North Korea do they have these much armed military and paramilitary.

Enjoy my siggy guys..

Do FRSC deal with criminals? What kind if country is this

FRSC is the only Paramilitary organization that doesn't bear Arms even though they are empowered to do so as enshrined in section 19 of the FRSC establishment act, 2007. They have continue to suffer loss of its personnel as a result of the activities of hoodlums. The Constitution also guarantee them the right to self defence. Our focus should be on how to make FRSC more professional in the conduct of their duties. Every tom dick and harry want to intimidate and most times beat up FRSC official because they are helpless. In most cases it is only law abiding citizens that they arrest. The fact remains that some of its staff are overzealous but that does not take away their right to self defence as a Uniform Organization.

Expect more killings of nigerians.

Every military and paramilitary body in nigeria wants to partake in the bonanza of killing nigerians including FRSC, man o war, Civil defense and even peace corps.

Really

Ah! Kuku give all of us guns

Gobe

People will have to be more careful on the road henceforth.

YOU only live once! Y.O.L.O

Hah!!!!.......we don die b dat na......trigger happy FRSC officers go plenty.......jus imagine if dem give LASTMA weapons join

[img]https://media1./images/510886e93929ac4429bcb2fd68eb7360/tenor.gif?itemid=4979445[/img]

I no understand... Will they make arrest too?

FRSC is not a force, why carry arms?

Road safety should even be scraped...

Police wahala is enuf

There is something about arms. Sometimes it gets into the head of the armed. Cant they always station police officers with their patrol teams?

Lols

[quote author= post=70857153]Sanity![/quote]Abi insanity

Very soon peace corps go hold gun

Plans to reduce population by any means necessary








<sub>No Indigenous Govt Ever Realises It's Ambition

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The presidency should think deep before giving their final approval so as to forestall any calamity waiting to happen.
God bless Nigeria and Nigerians.

Yeee.kasala Don burst. Indiscriminate shooting

ikorodureporta:
Source: https://m.guardian.ng/news/frsc-officials-to-bear-arms/

What type of arms will they bear? this country sef, keep making stupid policies. Do they really need guns to ensure the road is safe and accident free?

The way they stop vehicles is even wrong in the first place. Road safety is done when vehicles comes for inspections and not going to the road and when they need to, their focus should be on commercial vehicle not disturbing private car owners.

Only in nigeria do we share guns like pure water. i think citizens should be allowed guns too jare since we entering gun jamboree. Those ones will begin to misbehave when gun enter their hands.

IntimidationXtra,

See fear fear dem

Tomoyayi:
Abi insanity

Both!

wer dem begin to carry gun nw dem go start to behave like sars after showin dem ur particulars, dem go say bring ur fone and unlock it....dis 1 dem wan giv dem gun nw wer dem no start to shoot innocent nigerians cus dem no stop for dem to check der papers...dat means v.i.o go start to carry gun 2...

when are they going to shortlist/ recruiting new cadre .