Only VIO has powers to investigate, give accident reports – Official

Mr Akak Eyo, Head of Operations, Motor Vehicle Administration, Vehicle Inspection Office, (VIO) Cross River Command, says that only the agency is empowered by law to give accident reports.

Eyo made the disclosure to our reporter on Wednesday in Calabar while reacting to the overlapping functions of sister agencies in the road traffic business.

The head of operation said in the event of a road crash, the traffic unit of the Nigeria Police Force gets to the accident scene while the Federal Road Safety, (FRSC) officials have the responsibility of clearing the road and getting victims to hospitals or morgues.

He said it was the profession of officials of VIO to investigate and tell the cause of the accident because they were mostly engineers.

“Police officers who know their jobs in the traffic unit, after all has been done, will write a letter to the VIO requesting an accident inspection and report because it is their function.”

Eyo further said road crashes in Cross River were minimal, adding that his message to road users, especially the commercial bus and taxi drivers, was that they should be less anxious and careless while using the roads.

According to him, stopping at the middle of the road and unauthorised places to pick and drop passengers just because they want to outsmart other drivers, creates congestion and possibilities of crashes.

He said that was why the agency in the state, through its Director Road Transport Services, Mr Paul Bepeh, was going round public places like markets, parks and religious organisations to emphasise the theme for 2023 which was: “Safety first, drive to survive.”

He said apart from having a duly registered vehicle and valid driver’s licence, every driver was expected to have a first-aid box and four litres of water in his or her boot among other things, to forestall any eventuality on the road and even save lives.

He asserted that one challenge they had was Nigerians seeing VIO as their enemy and when they are flagged down, they get angry.

“All that is expected is for you to stop and submit yourself for inspection which is for your own good and the good of the society.

“When you are cleared you move on but if you are cautioned for a misdemeanor, it is not because the agency hates you,” he said.