Lockdown: FRSC records 81 crashes, 40 deaths in Lagos, Ogun

* 770 vehicles impounded for overloading as most prevalent offence ─Zonal Commanding Officer

Alexander Davis | ConsumerConnect

In spite of the Coronavirus lockdowns in the two states of the Nigerian Federation, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has disclosed that it recorded 81 road accidents with 46 deaths in Ogun and Lagos States between between May 4 and May 31, 2020.

Report says Mr. Samuel Obayemi, an Assistant Corps Marshal and FRSC Zonal Commanding Officer in-charge of the two neighbouring states, said the crashes occurred in the four weeks of the Presidential ease of lockdown in Lagos and Ogun.

Obayemi stated: “An analysis of the data of the Enforcement Operation carried out so far in the zone showed that we have a total of 81 road traffic crashes with only 24 fatal where 46 lives were lost.

“Forty-three of the crashes were serious which injured 154 people, while 14 were minor accidents.”

The total vehicles stopped and returned to their originating places within the period were 2,872 while enforcing the Federal Government ban on interstate travels, he said.

The FRSC Zonal Commanding Officer added that the zone arrested 770 vehicles for overloading as the most prevalent offence.

He, therefore, advised motorists to drive with care, adding that the ease of the lockdown should not be another death sentence to road-users.

“As the flow of vehicles along major highways in the zone increases, road users should be conscious of safety and be very careful.

“This is important so that as they run away from Coronavirus, they won’t be killed through careless and reckless driving on the road. Many of these road traffic crashes recorded are avoidable.”

Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari April 27, 2020, announced a “gradual easing” of COVID-19 lockdown in Lagos, Ogun and Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, from May 4.