The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Nasarawa State Command, has vowed to rid the state of the menace of overloading of vehicles.
The new FRSC Sector Commander in the state, Mr Shamsudeen Sale, made the promise in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia on Thursday.
NAN reports that Sale replaces Mr Ahmed Mohammed who has been posted to Jigawa as the Sector Commander.
The commander said one of his goals was to use every law available to stop overloading of vehicles on highways in the state.
He noted that overloading of vehicles was fast becoming a norm and a major cause of Road Traffic Crashes (RTC) on Nigerian roads.
Sale said that the Command would sustain the present level of enforcement and also build upon its achievement especially in the fight against overloading.
“I will also focus on other critical offences that are life threatening to all road users.
“In view of that, there is need for all road users to see how they can imbibe good road culture by obeying the traffic rules,” he said.
The commander said that the corps would step up enforcement through Mobile Courts to prosecute recalcitrant road users.
He said that he would focus on the enlightenment of motorists on road traffic rules aimed at ensuring behavioural change.
Sale said the corps FRSC would leverage the assistance and support of sister security agencies to arrest, fine or prosecute traffic violators.
“We don’t bear arms. So we will need arm bearing personnel with us to be able to effectively perform our functions.
“We are cooperating fully with all security agencies. They will come to our aid and we will also avail ourselves when they need us,” he said.
He commended the Nasarawa State Government for the provision of a towing truck and appealed to motorists to abide by the rules governing road traffic.
“Reduce your personal greed of trying to overload your vehicle to excess. Reduce your speed and observe all the road signs and avoid dangerous overtaking.
“Obey all regulations because we are coming out in force against offenders,” he said.