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The Civil Right and Development Resource Centre (CIRDEV), has asked the Kwara state sector command of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), to call its officers to order over alleged complaints of extortion being leveled against them by motorists in the state.
The civil society organisation also reminded the FRSC of a subsisting Court of Appeal judgment restraining the commission and its corps from operating and carrying out their activities on any other roads (states and local governments) other than federal roads.
The center stated this in an open letter to the sector commander, FRSC, (Kwara Sector Command), titled: “Extortion and Lawlessness by Corps of The Federal Road Safety Commission on Roads in Kwara state,” a copy which was made available to newsmen in Ilorin, on Sunday.
In the letter signed by the center’s executive director, Luqman M. Shaffii, and head of legal Services, Olaitan T. N, the center regretted that some FRSC operatives who are supposed to protect citizens on the highways have turned into predators, preying on innocent motorists, especially in the Ilorin metropolis.
“These actions are not only illegal but also undermine the credibility of the FRSC. Some of us have personally been a victim of this extortion, and I know many other Nigerians have suffered the same fate. It is high time that something is done to put an end to this menace.
“Furthermore, there should be a concerted effort to retrain and re-orientate the officers of the command on their roles and responsibilities as Road Safety Corps. This will go a long way in restoring public confidence in every corps and the entire commission.
“May we as well use this opportunity to call the attention of the command in the state to the recent Court of Appeal judgment in the Case; CA/AS/276/2019: FEDERAL ROAD SAFETY COMMISSION AND DARLINGTON UGO EHIKIM ESQ wherein the court made a declaration amongst others that the Federal Road Safety Commission has No right to operate and/or carry any activity on state and local governments roads. The trial court also issued restraining orders against the commission from operating on roads other than Federal Highways.”
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