Ben Ezechime, Enugu
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), has tasked its sector and unit commanders on effective operational duty in a challenging security environment.
The Zonal Commanding Officer of Zone 9, Assistant Corps Marshal (ACM) Uche Chukwurah, gave the task in Enugu while declaring open the 2nd Quarter 2024 Zonal Workshop organised by the Zone 9 FRSC Headquarters, Enugu.
The theme of the workshop is “Raising the Bar/Rejigging FRSC Operational Activities Amidst Insecurity in the South-East: Challenges and Way Forward.”
Chukwurah, who is in-charge South-East, noted that with the face of increasing security concerns and dynamic operational challenges, the need for collective commitment to ensuring safer roads and secure communities had never been more imperative but for now.
According to her, the FRSC has long stood as a beacon of road safety across Nigeria, with effective traffic enforcement as a vital tool in ensuring road safety.
She said: “However, the prevailing security situation in the South East presents unique challenges that necessitate strategic reassessment and enhancement of our operational framework.
“Today, we gather to deliberate on these challenges and forge a path forward that not only sustains our mission but also elevates our effectiveness amidst adversity.
“The South-East region, known for its vibrant culture and industrious spirit, has unfortunately experienced a surge in security threats. These threats not only jeopardise the safety of our citizens but also impede the seamless execution of our duties.
“The FRSC’s vision to eradicate road traffic crashes and create a safe motoring environment, especially through the enforcement of traffic regulations, must be adapted to navigate this complex landscape.
“This requires innovative approaches, robust strategies, and unwavering dedication.”
Chukwurah noted that insecurity faced by FRSC officers and marshals manifest in various forms, which are armed conflicts, kidnapping, criminal activities and killing of FRSC personnel in the roads.
“These realities demand that we, as an institution, fortify our operational readiness and resilience.
“Enhancing intelligence gathering, fostering collaboration with sister security agencies, and leveraging technology are pivotal steps toward mitigating these threats,” she added.
In dissecting the theme, Corps Commander Anthony Ogbodo, the Deputy Commandant of FRSC Academy, Udi, said that it was imperative that each commander surveys and carries out security threat levels in each environment they operate.
Ogbodo also urged the commanders to have clear collaboration and cooperation with sister security agencies and other stakeholders especially where insecurity level is high, thereby doing more joint operation or calling their assistant.
“There is a need for our offices to be well lit at night, there is a need to have Close Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras around our offices, and our intelligent officers must do a good internal profile of our staff to check insider negative activities,” he said.
The workshop, which also featured a critical questions and answers session on security as it relates to FRSC operations, was attended by Sector and Unit Commanders within FRSC Zone 9, which comprises Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States.
