Nigerians have opposed the submission by the House of Representatives to arm the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) with guns to help carry out their duties.
The House Committee on FRSC made the call on Thursday in Abuja, when FRSC Corps Marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi appeared to present the 2020 budget performance as well as the 2021 budget defence.
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While explaining that the 1992 Act of FRSC allowed the corps to bear arms, the Committee chairman, Akinfolarin Mayowa noted that firearms will help the personnel curtail the excesses of road users.
The laemaker stated that the implementation was speedily needed to ensure motorists obey laws and to allow the FRSC officials function effectively.
Oyeyemi, while commenting, recalled cases where motorists threatened personnel on duty.
However, Nigerians have condemned the move, warning it could lead to another era of brutality and excess like the case with he defunct Federal special Anti-Roberry Squard, FSARS.
Some reactors even mocked the whole idea, suggesting for other traffic agencies like Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) to be allowed to go about their dutires with fire arms.
See some comments.
@foluOgunseye: God! When will this brainlessness end? Guns to enforce traffic offenses? What! Instead of ensuring every vehicle is duly registered, then all you need do is pick an offenders plate number, you prefer that they shoot! And @femigbaja leads this house???
@awolams: It’s absolutely wrong. Customs, Immigration, Civil Defence, etc all carry assault rifles. Now Road Safety? The FG is turning the country into a police state? This leads to intimidation, rifts and extra-judicial violence.
@Dgeniusacademy: They want to increase the number of armed men. So that they can have enough of them in case the masses want to rise up. Why is everything happening at the same time, shortly after #EndSARS protest.
@Timzybone: They’ve been doing their jobs quite well without arms, giving them arms will lead to impunity. More Police officers with guns die than Road Safety officers without guns let that sink in.
@onyoko: They are already creating another SARS. What should they be doing with the guns? Even in some African countries, the Road Safety Agencies make use of technology to capture offenders for appropriate punishment. There isn’t any sign post for speed limit in the country to start with.
@Psalmopet: See this people have been a little bit in order because they don’t carry guns, giving them guns will turn them to another uniform criminal.
@JanariusS: Thank God I got my driver’s license last week. I can’t take the risk of being wasted because of license.
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