Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has said over 600 people have lost their lives due to road crashes that occurred on Kaduna/Zaria/ Kano Road between January and June, 2022.
The Assistant Corps Marshal in charge of Zone 1 which comprises Kano, Katsina, Kaduna and Jigawa states, Dr. Godwin Omiko, disclosed this yesterday during an advocacy visit to the Emir of Zazzau, Ambassador Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, in Zaria.
Omiko said additional 2,310 victims of the accidents also sustained varying degrees of injuries within the period under review, adding that unlike last year in which by June 2021 on the same route, road crashes recorded 350 deaths, stressing that the figure had doubled this year.
While soliciting the royal father’s intervention, he said. “Your intervention is very imperative considering the rising cases of road crashes on this axis. We held a series of sensitization programmes at motor parks and other places but that had not yielded the desired results.”
Omiko attributed the road crashes to excessive speed, dangerous overtaking, reckless driving, driving under the influence of drugs and blatant disregard to road traffic regulations by motorists among others.
He particularly expressed concern over the high rate of recklessness exhibited by Sharon and bus drivers on Kaduna-Zaria and Kano routes.
“Your highness, they have turned the rehabilitated portion of the road to a racing track,” he said.
The zonal commander decorated the royal father with the title of Honorary Marshal.
Responding, the emir lamented the rising death due to road crashes, and urged the FRSC not to relent on its sensitization and advocacy programmes, while assuring that the Emirate Council would use various channels of communication to reach out to road transport workers with a view to address the worrisome situation.
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