Gridlock: FRSC frowns at police escorts’ lawlessness on highways

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has warned police escort vehicles to desist from driving against traffic, warning that the law is no respecter of anybody.

The Lagos State FRSC Sector Commander, Olusegun Ogungbemide, gave the warning following the traffic gridlock caused by one-way driving policemen who escorted a VIP along Ibafo area on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Monday.

The FRSC boss decried the impunity and lawlessness by the police escorts who also attacked FRSC operatives while trying to ease the gridlock on the expressway.

He said that their disregard for traffic law was inimical to safety and free flow of traffic.

“The FRSC personnel on traffic control noticed a standstill traffic situation on the outward Lagos section of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway and made effort to track the cause of the heavy movement.

“The officers discovered that at Mountain Top University area, a convoy of four vehicles with police escort were driving against the flow of traffic, thereby causing gridlock within the narrowed lane.

“The FRSC team approached the police operatives, insisted that the vehicles turn back and follow their rightful lanes but the drivers and the escort refused to obey their plea, rather, one of the policemen pointed his riffle at our men and threatened to shoot at them.

“Also, another policeman sighted an FRSC Marshal who was recording the happenings around the scene.

“The police man rushed to the Marshal with his riffle, snatched the phone and smashed it on the road, damaging the phone completely,” Ogunbemide said.

He said that when the police men realised that the FRSC operatives weren’t going to give in, they then arrogantly turned back and followed the right lane.

The official said the FRSC Corps Marshal, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, had frowned at this act and therefore directed that the affected operatives and their vehicles be prosecuted for traffic violation and assault on its personnel.

The Lagos Sector Commander said that the security agencies were never in support of the misconduct of these disgruntled few.

Ogungbemide also warned that such lawlessness would no longer be accepted and promised to prosecute any security operative who attacks any of its personnel while discharging their lawful duties to safeguard lives on the roads.

He advised motorists to desist from driving against the flow of traffic and to always adhere strictly to traffic rules and regulations.