By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Operatives of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in the habit of collecting bribe of traffic offenders and other persons in the course of performing their normal duties have been warned to desist from such or be ready to lose their jobs.
The traffic agency said on Wednesday that it would not hesitate to dismiss from service any of its personnel found extorting motorists.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja today, the Corps Public Education Officer, Mr Bisi Kazeem, emphasised that, “We abhor corruptive tendencies.
“There are internal mechanisms, the Corps Marshal Monitoring Unit and Surveillance and Intelligence Unit.
“There is also zonal commanding officers unit of surveillance and monitoring, sector commanders unit, all aimed at checking excesses of marshals.
Mr Kazeem was reacting to the recent arrest of 37 FRSC operatives for alleged extortion of motorists on the highways.
There were reports that a team comprising the FRSC, ICPC and DSS made the arrest of the erring personnel recently.
The FRSC management had in a complaint to ICPC said the incidents of extortion were rife in six states; Kaduna, Bauchi, Abia, Rivers, Kogi and Ogun.
“The corps marshal felt that reports concerning the issue of extortion is getting alarming and didn’t want to stop at internal mechanism,’’ he said.
According to him, this necessitated the collaboration with the ICPC and DSS.
“They deployed technology and made the arrest,’’ he said, adding that the exercise would be sustained in order to rid the corps of bad eggs.