By Gabriel Atumeyi
The Federal Road Safety Corps has drafted a total of 25,224 personnel to the highways across the country to ensure compliance with the operational guidelines of the special patrol scheduled to hold between March 31 and April 7 in a bid to ensure a safe and smooth 2021 Easter celebrations.
The personnel include 7,100 officers, 18,124 Marshals Inspectors and Road Marshal Assistants as well as 15,225 Special Marshals.
This was contained in a statement on Friday, signed by the Corps Public Education Officer, Assistant Corps Marshal Bisi Kazeem, titled, ‘FRSC deploys 25, 224 personnel, 580 patrol vehicles, 92 ambulances and other logistics for Easter special patrol.’
It said the management staff, Zonal Commanding Officers, Sector Commanders and other senior officers of the rank of Deputy Corps Commanders, as well as Corridor Commanders, were also deployed in the field commands to ensure compliance with the Operational Guidelines.
The Corps Public Officer further noted that as part of the strategies, a total of 22 Help Areas have been mobilised to ensure prompt removal of obstructions, as well as casualties during the period.
This, he said, was in addition to the 10 traffic control camps which would be dedicated solely to identifying traffic gridlock areas to be manned by the personnel 24 hours daily during the Easter celebration.
“In addition, 580 patrol vehicles, 92 ambulances, 17 tow trucks and 73 motorbikes are being deployed as part of the patrol logistics. Furthermore, 2,096 reflective jackets, 1,000 traffic cones, 73 tyre pressure gauges, a number of extricating machines and digital breathalyzers are part of the tools set aside for the special operations,” Kazeem further stated.
The statement also said that commanding officers have been directed to liaise with other strategic stakeholders within their operational areas to secure the necessary logistics as well as security support.
‘’The Corps has put in place a Situation Room at the National Headquarters to monitor the activities across the country, collate and process information for dissemination to relevant commands and stakeholders as the case may be.
‘’This is in addition to the activation of 28 Road Traffic Crash Clinics and 48 Zebra points located along the major routes which would be covered by 92 ambulances that would be fully utilized to respond promptly to cases of rescue and convey injured victims to hospitals for professional attention.’’