Business

FRSC vows to prosecute policemen for driving against traffic, assaulting personnel

Oyeyemi

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The Federal Road Safety Corps(FRSC), has vowed to prosecute policemen who threatened to shoot it’s officials in Lagos.

The police officers who were escorting a VIP at Ibafo area on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway at about 7a.m on Monday constituted themselves into nuisance when they obstructed traffic flow by taking one-way.

Reacting to this situation, the Corps Marshal, FRSC, Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, frowned at such an ugly incident where police officers not only threatened to shoot his men

but went further to smash thier phone.

Oyeyemi said the Corps will prosecute the offending policemen who assaulted their personnel.

The Sector Commander, FRSC Lagos, Olusegun Ogungbemide, who made the position of the Corps Msrshal known to Nation Update on Tuesday said the mobile phone with which one of them was recording the incident was also smashed by one of the policemen.

Ogungbemide who did not disclose the names of the VIPs however maintained that the policemen would be prosecuted.

Saying that it’s unfortunate that FRSC officials were attacked for asking policemen driving against traffic to do the right thing, turn back and use their rightful lane and stop compounding traffic situation in the area.

He stated, “The Corps Marshal has frowned at this act and, therefore, directed that the affected operatives and their vehicles be prosecuted for traffic violation and assault on FRSC personnel.”

Narrating what led to the attack, the Sector Commander said: “Following the traffic gridlock caused by one-way driving by some police escort of VIPs at Ibafo area on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway at about 7a.m., on Monday.

“The FRSC personnel noticed a standstill traffic situation on the outward Lagos section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and made effort to track the cause of the heavy movement.

“They discovered that at Mountain Top University area, a convoy of four vehicles with police escort was driving against the flow of traffic, thereby causing gridlock within the narrowed lane.

“The FRSC team led by the outpost head approached the police operatives, insisted that the vehicles turn back and follow their rightful lanes.

“But the drivers and the escort refused to obey. Rather one of the policemen pointed his rifle at our men and threatened to shoot.

“Also another of the policemen, who sighted a Marshal who was recording the happenings around the scene, rushed to the Marshal with his rifle, snatched the phone and smashed it on the road, damaging it completely.

“Eventually, the policemen realised that the FRSC operatives weren’t going to give in. They arrogantly turned back and followed the right lane.

“It is a known fact that the high echelon of all agencies is never in support of the misconduct of these disgruntled few.”

Ogungbemide also warned that this lawlessness will no longer be accepted and promised to prosecute any security operative who attacks any of its personnel while discharging their lawful duties to safeguard lives on the roads.

He advised motorists to desist from driving against the flow of traffic, and to always adhere to traffic rules and regulations to make life easy for all, insisting that no one is above the law.