COVID-19: FRSC Arrests 144 Transporters for Overloading

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said no fewer than 144 transporters have been arrested for overloading during this coronavirus period across 16 states of the federation.

Corps Public Education Officer of the agency, Mr Bisi Kazeem, said in a statement that The highest number of arrests was recorded in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) where a total of 52 overloaded vehicles were impounded, followed by Lagos State with a total of 17 arrests.

Others include Plateau State with 14, Delta 13, Benue nine, Adamawa and Katsina with six arrests each.

He stated that Nasarawa and Ogun State have recorded five arrests each, Niger and Kwara recorded four each, Osun three, Rivers and Akwa Ibom had two each with Zamfara and Enugu recording the lowest arrest of one in each state.

The Corps’ spokesman urged transporters to maintain social distance amongst passengers in vehicles so they can help fight the spread of the deadly virus.

Meanwhile, the agency has directed all categories of transporters to ensure full compliance with regulations on compulsory passenger manifest in order to help reduce the potential spread of coronavirus among passengers.

The agency made the order according to provisions of Regulation 108 (1) of the National Road Traffic Regulation (NRTR) 2012.

Mr Kazeem said the Corps Marshal, Mr Boboye Oyeyemi, directed all public transport operators to imbibe necessary precautionary measures in their parks and terminals, adding that failure to adhere strictly to this order will attract the necessary sanctions.

According to him, Mr Oyeyemi gave the order because despite the spread of the virus, public transport operators continued to board passengers to full capacity without consideration to social distancing, passenger manifest and seat spacing of passengers.

It was disclosed that this behaviour was unhealthy and if not put to check on time, it has the potentials to spread the virus.

As a result, all passengers travelling; not only during the epidemic regime but at all times, have been obliged to write down their full information in the passenger manifest before commencement of the trip.

It was also directed that putting down details of passengers on a manifest is a mandatory and acceptable practice all over the world, that the document contains basic information including contacts of next of kin of all the passengers travelling in the vehicle for ease of identification and contact in the case of any emergency.

He warned passengers to comply by filling the passenger manifest before their journey commences as any transporter who violates this order will be made to face the wrath of the law when apprehended.

He noted that the emphasis on the need for compulsory adherence to the NRTR 2012 provision is to make sure that details of all passengers conveyed in each vehicle are adequately collected so as to arrest further spread of the virus per chance any of the passengers is tested positive even after the trip.