Niger State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has said that about 170 people have been killed in Niger State through road accidents during the first and second quarters of 2023.
The Sector Commander of the Corps, Kumar Tsukwam, stated this during the flag-off of the 2023 Ember Months campaign held at Mobil Motor Park Minna.
Mr. Tsukwam said that during the period under review, about 245 road traffic crashes (RTCs) were recorded, of which 70 were fatal cases. He added that the data revealed that speeding was the major cause of traffic crashes in the state.
Speaking on the comparison of accident rates between 2022 and 2023, the sector commander said that the incidents of road crashes and deaths have drastically reduced as of this year compared to last year.
According to him, about 205 lives were lost in 2022, while 260 cases of RTC were recorded with 85 fatalities.
Commander Kumar Tsukwam revealed that the comparison of the first and second quarters of 2022 and 2023 shows that RTC has reduced by three percent and fatalities are about 10 percent, while those killed are 9.3 percent in Niger State.
He said the reduction in both road traffic crashes and fatalities during the year under review was a result of measures put in place following aggressive sensitization undertaken by his leadership among motorists in the state through the media, as well as the engagement of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the state amongst other stakeholders.
The sector commander, FRSC, reaffirmed its commitment to partner with the leadership of all the Drivers Union and other relevant authorities, as well as sister security agencies, in their collective determination to tackle the challenges of road traffic crashes in the state through intelligence gathering and information gathering amongst themselves while on operations. He, however, warned that his command will not spare anyone who violates road traffic regulations, especially during the festive season.
He then commended Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago for his administration's continued desire to invest massively in the construction of new roads and the provision of road infrastructure across the state with a view to addressing the menace of road traffic crashes in the state.
He also appreciated the effort of the Secretary to the Niger State Government, SSG, for his relentless support of the command.
The theme of this year's Ember Month campaign was "Speed Thrills but Kills, Drive Responsibly, and Avoid Overloading,", which he said focuses on the need to avoid speeding and overloading.