The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said its officials were not
responsible for an accident that occurred in Ibadan, Oyo State
capital, on November 6.
A video of the accident had gone viral, sparking different reactions.
Many had blamed the corps for the accident which led to the death of
one of its personnel.
But in a statement yesterday, the corps’ Public Education Officer,
Bisi Kazeem, said after a series of investigations, it was gathered
that the FRSC patrol van was not chasing after any offender as the
trending video suggests.
“At about midday of Wednesday, 6/11/19 around 1100HRS a team of FRSC
personnel assigned to monitor and control traffic were approached by a
truck driver who intended to make an enquiry from one of the members
of the team,” the statement read.
“In the course of the inquiry, a Mercedes Benz ran into the patrol
vehicle and in the process killed the marshal attending to the driver
of the truck and the other person making inquiry while discussing,
with the other FRSC official occupying the driver’s seat who was also
seriously affected by the crash and eventually had one of his legs
amputated at the University Teaching Hospital (UCH) Ibadan.
“Information gathered at the scene of the crash and from first
responders (eye witnesses) as well as the police revealed that
contrary to some insinuations in the trending video, the FRSC patrol
vehicle was not in motion when the incident occurred.
“The seriously injured victim was rushed to the hospital for medical
attention while the deceased were taken to the morgue
“It is also of importance to intimate the public that the alleged
reckless driver has been taken to court and charged accordingly.”
The FRSC said a magistrate court sitting in Iyagankun in Ibadan had on
November 13 remanded the driver of the Mercedes-Benz till February 8,
2020, when the case would be heard.
Calling on the public to disregard the trending video, the FRSC said
it is an unfortunate incident but a reality that their job is very
hazardous in nature.
