Seventy six persons have been convicted by mobile courts following the commencement of Operation Zero Tolerance by the Zone 4 Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps comprising Plateau, Benue and Nasarawa States during the Christmas and New Year Operations from December 15, 2020.
The Zonal Commanding Officer Zone RS4, Jos, Assistant Corps Marshal Kayode Olangunju, mni, disclosed that the Special Patrol Operation which is still ongoing till January 15, 2021 is necessitated due to the usual increased mobility, Road Traffic Law Violations and Crashes associated with the Yuletide period.
He has directed all Commanding Officers in the Zone to ensure prompt arrest and prosecution of traffic offenders to prevent the “hangover effect” as many crashes could occur in the early days of the new year when many motorists are tempted to violate traffic rules as some may feel they had already survived the most dangerous period, the EMBER months, hence they could afford to take some chances on the highways.
In furtherance of the efforts to ensure sanity on the road, 76 violators were convicted by mobile courts in Akwanga and Keffi Unit Commands of Nasarawa State.
The breakdown of the mobile court convictions reveals that in Nasarawa State, Senior Magistrate Victoria Ishaku sitting in Akwanga, found guilty as charged, 30 offenders for 46 traffic offences committed. In Jeff, Chief Magistrate Jibrin Isa Shittu convicted 46 offenders arraigned before him.
The convicted drivers were jailed for periods between two (2) and six (6) months but were however given the option of fines ranging between two thousand and ten thousand Naira in line with the FRSC (Establishment) Act, 2007 and the National Road Traffic Regulations 2012. The most prevalent offences were Speeding, Overloading, Drivers License Violation, Seat Belt Use violation, Dangerous Overtaking and Lane Indiscipline.
