From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
… FRSC deploys 800 personnel for highway patrol in Kogi
The Commissioner of Police, Kogi State Police Command, CP Bethrand C. Onuoha, psc (+) has ordered for a Water-tight Security across the State to ensure a crime-free Christmas and New Year Celebrations.
The Commissioner assured of adequate security arrangement for a hitch-free Christmas and New Year celebrations, reiterating ban on the use of fireworks and knockouts.
He gave the order while briefing the Senior Officers of the Command at the Police Command Headquarters, Lokoja, on Wednesday.
The CP charged all the Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers as well as Operational and Tactical Commanders to beef up security ahead of the Yuletide Celebrations to prevent any untoward situation in their Area of Responsibilities (AOR) throughout the period.
He further tasked them to implement the Comprehensive Crime Prevention and Control Strategies adopted by the Command to improve visibility Policing and deploy Human and other Operational Assets to carry out confidence-building and crime prevention Patrols along the major Highways, Residential Areas and other Critical Assets as well as undercover operations to Black Spots, Criminal Hideouts and Flash-Points to curtail all forms of crimes and ensure peaceful Yuletide in the State.
The Commissioner reiterated the Ban on the use of Fireworks during the Festive periods and advised Parents and Guardians to warn their Children and Wards to desist from such acts as Officers were directed to arrest anyone who violates this order.
To this end, the CP further assured the good People of the State that the Police in synergy with other Security Agencies are putting more efforts to ensure a peaceful Festive period.
He called on all Law-abiding Citizens for their cooperation by reporting suspicious movements or any act of criminality within their neighborhood to the Security Forces nearest to them.
Meanwhile,the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) says it has deployed 800 personnel for highway patrol in Kogi as part of its Operation Zero Road Traffic Crash for the yuletide.
The state FRSC Sector Commander, Mr Samuel Oyedeji, said this in a statement in Lokoja on Wednesday.
He said that the operation which commenced on Dec.15 would end on Monday, Jan. 15.
Oyedeji charged motorists to obey traffic rules, avoid dangerous driving, overloading and the use of cell phones when driving.
“This is because enforcement will be focused on checkmating and sanctioning traffic offenders so as to curb unnecessary loss of lives on the highways,” he said.
He said that the deployment included regular and special marshals, 25 patrol vehicles, 3 ambulances and a heavy duty tow truck to ensure free movement of vehicles during and after the yuletide.
“In addition to the manpower available in the state, not less than 40 personnel have been detailed from the FRSC Zonal Headquarters, Ilorin to beef up the manpower and senior officers from the RSHQ, Abuja would be on ground to monitor and supervise the exercise across the state.
“All these are in demonstration of our readiness to strengthen safety on the roads through series of operations aimed at ensuring free flow of traffic, curbing reckless driving and clearing the roads of abandoned vehicles which preceded the deployment for the festive season.
“These operations include: mobile court sittings, obstruction clearing on highways in the state in conjunction with the state government,” he said.
The sector commander said that four help centres had been setup in Ejule, Ajaokuta, Osara and Okene for prompt emergency rescue services as well as five camps in Lokoja, Koton Karfe, Zariagi and Okene for 24hours traffic control operations in and around the areas.
He appealed to contractors handling emergency work on some bad spots on the roads to expedite action on the rehabilitation works for a hitch free traffic giving the increase in the number of road users.
