The Federal Road Safety Corps has affirmed that Vehicle Inspection Officers possess legal authority to apprehend traffic offenders, depending on the regulations within their respective states.
Deputy Corps Marshal at the FRSC, Mr Bisi Kazeem, emphasized the importance of public cooperation with VIOs to enhance road safety.
He stated, “The motoring public should give maximum cooperation to VIOs for the enhancement of safety on the roads.”
The clarification comes in response to a controversial statement by a unit commander in Abuja who claimed that VIOs lacked the right to arrest road traffic violators, including those operating overloaded vehicles or using phones while driving.
The Corps Marshal, Mr Dauda Biu, has ordered the immediate withdrawal of the unit commander to the national headquarters for necessary administrative and disciplinary actions.
Biu asserted, “The general public is advised to disregard the unit commander’s statement as it had no approval of the FRSC Corps Marshal and does not in any way reflect the corporate or general position of the FRSC.”
Highlighting the collaborative effort between FRSC and VIOs, Kazeem stated, “In line with sustaining the Corps’ resolve that road safety is a collective responsibility, we acknowledge the role VIOs play in complementing the responsibilities of the FRSC through the enforcement of traffic laws.”
He urged the motoring public to adhere to established traffic regulations and cooperate with all security agencies deployed to maintain law and order on the highways, irrespective of their corporate mandates.
The FRSC emphasized that road safety is a shared responsibility that requires collective adherence to traffic laws for the well-being of all road users.
