Expose our men demanding bribes — FRSC official

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has advised motorists to expose any of its personnel demanding bribes, using official lines inscribed on patrol vehicles.

Mr Samuel Obayemi, FRSC Zonal Commanding Officer in charge of Ogun and Lagos states, gave the advice in an interview with our reporter in Lagos on Monday.

Obayemi, who spoke against the backdrop of several corruption allegations against corps personnel, said that the organisation had zero tolerance for corruption.

According to him, the corps will never cover up any of its officers openly caught in corrupt practices.

“In FRSC, we have various levels of discipline in every command, even at the least command – an outpost. We have the outposts, unit commands, sector commands and zonal commands.

“In every command of FRSC, we have Intelligence Department, which monitors the daily activities of the personnel.

“So, when staff go on patrol, they (Intelligence Department) are always there to monitor.

“All these are to serve as check and warnings to officers on the patrol that they are being monitored,”said Obayemi, an Assistant Corps Marshal.

He further said that the corps also received allegations of corruption against its officers and men through the social media.

He said that such allegations were usually investigated because some traffic offenders might want to be mischievous.

“As zonal commanding officer in charge of Lagos and Ogun, I have my official line that people call very regularly to report cases of extortion and demand for gratification.

“Such cases are taken up immediately, we don’t encourage corruption in FRSC, I can say that with a lot of confidence.

“And when that is discovered and investigated, the people involved are disciplined according to the rules and regulations guiding our operations.

“In law, he who gives bribe is as guilty as the person that receives. We keep telling people not to give bribe,”Obayemi said.

The FRSC boss said that the corps’ quest for integrity and hatred for extortion necessitated the inscription of official lines on each patrol vehicles deployed for patrols.

He said that road users should use the phone numbers inscribed on patrol vehicle of each patrol team that flagged them down to report cases of extortion.

“When our officers demand bribe, in most cases, every patrol team that goes out, usually go with patrol vehicle and there are official numbers written boldly in different places on the bonnet, sides, behind and clearly on top of the van, notify us.

“Indicate that a team with vehicle number this and code number this had an encounter with you and they demanded for money and I can assure you that, immediately we will take up such matter.

“We will carry out very proper investigations because, again, some people can be mischievous and come up with unfounded allegations against our men.

“Once the investigation is properly carried out and they are found guilty, they are disciplined accordingly. We don’t encourage corruption,” Obayemi said.

He further said that the FRSC recently partnered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Offences Commission and Department of State Services to carry out surveillance on FRSC patrol teams.

Obayemi said the step was part of efforts to further demonstrated the corps’ zero tolerance for corruption.

The FRSC boss, who urged road users to obey traffic rules and regulations for their own safety and that of others, admonished motorists to desist from offering bribes to corps personnel.