Federal Road Safety Corps, Osun State Sector Command, has deployed 555 personnel for special patrol during the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations in the state.
The Osun Sector Commander, Mr Sunday Adebayo, disclosed in a statement issued by the Sector Public Education Officer, Mrs Agnes Ogungbemi, on Saturday in Osogbo. Adebayo said the week-long operation would commence from May 25 to May 31 across the state to prevent road accidents and ensure free flow of traffic during the festive period.
He enjoined road users to adhere strictly to road safety guidelines to avoid being sanctioned for wrongful or dangerous driving.
According to him, three ambulances, two roadside clinics, one tow truck, and 15 patrol vehicles will be deployed for the exercise. “The operation will be carried out in collaboration with other sister security agencies.
“The statutory responsibilities of the corps include clearing obstructions on roads, identifying causes of road traffic accidents, and proffering solutions to them,” he said.
The sector commander advised motorists to cooperate with the corps, obey traffic regulations, and avoid speeding during the celebration.
He further appealed to media organisations and other stakeholders to continue supporting campaigns against road accidents in the state. Adebayo called on stakeholders to work together to reduce carnage on highways, route violations, wrongful overtaking, speeding, and overloading.
In another development, transport fares have continued to increase due to the hike in the price of petrol, which many road users decried as the Salah approaches.
A driver at the Nelson Mandela Park at Old Garage, Osogbo, Mr Kola Ayanfe, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN), said the cost of transportation cannot be stable due to an increase in petrol price.
Ayanfe advised travellers to plan their movement in order not to be financially stranded on the way during the festive period. He appealed to the Federal Government to find lasting solutions to the hike in transportation fare that has hindered many people from embarking on long journeys, especially during the festive season.
Miss Kafiyat Abdullahi, a traveller, told NAN that she paid N2,500 from Ilorin to Osogbo, and expected to pay an additional N3,000 or N3,500 from Osogbo to Ibadan in Oyo State.
She decried the economic situation in the country due to a hike in the prices of petrol, leading to an increase in the prices of foodstuffs and other items.
Abdullahi urged transporters to be considerate when fixing fares, adding that such a gesture would have a positive impact on their business, especially during the Salah celebration.
She appealed to the government to regulate the current price of petrol and ensure its affordability for motorists.
(NAN)
