By: Monday Danladi, Bauchi
It has been confirmed that not fewer than 3,767 people were killed in various road traffic crashes across Nigeria between January to September while a total of 22,373 others were variously injured in the same crashes.
The disclosure was made by the Corps Marshall of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Shehu Mohammed during the flagging off of the 2024 Road Traffic Crash Victims Remembrance Week held at St. John’s Catholic Cathedral Church, Bauchi on Sunday.
The Corps Marshall observed that Nigeria, being the largest country in black Africa, suffers more from the devastating effect of road traffic crashes due to her population and landmass.
The Corps Marshall also declared that the lives were lost including the injuries their in a total of 7,011 Road Traffic Crashes (RTC) across the country between January and September, 2024.
Shehu Mohammed who was represented by the Bauchi State Sector Commander of the FRSC, CC Istifanus Ibrahim, added that 22,373 others sustained various degrees of injuries within the period under review.
He further said that the objectives of the Year 2024 World Day of Remembrance for RTCs Victims are to provide avenue to remember both the deceased and those in the hospitals. recuperating.
According to him, “The day is to acknowledge the crucial work of the emergency services, draw attention to the generally trivial legal response to culpable road deaths and injuries and advocate for appropriate response.”
“It is to also advocate for better support for road traffic victims and victim families as well as to promote evidence-based actions to prevent and eventually stop further road traffic deaths and injuries,” he said.
Shehu Mohammed also explained that the Corps’ presence in the Church was part of a series of activities lined up for the remembrance week, adding that the same gesture would be replicated at a Jumaat Mosque on Friday.
He then reiterated the FRSC’s commitment toward making effective use of religious platforms to get the message of road safety to the people by appealing to the conscience and consciousness of road users.
The Corps Marshal called on governments at all levels and authorities concerned in the country to improve vehicular safety through adoption of the Safe System Approach.
According to him, “We also call on motorists, pedestrians and all road users to recognise the fact that road traffic crashes kill more passengers than drivers and hence the need to remember that road safety is a collective responsibility.”
While responding, Rev Fr Raphael Chukwuka Agbata, commended FRSC for bringing the message to the church and promised to spread the enlightenment to not only the members of the church but also to the people of the state.
The Cletgyman stated that, “We will do all we can to join you in ensuring safety on the roads.”
The 2024 World Road Traffic Crash victims remembrance week is ‘That Day’ which was carefully crafted to tell the stories of the day when traffic collisions stopped or changed the course of the victim’s lives forever.
