FRSC arrests ‘fake soldier’, convicts 245 traffic offenders in Abuja

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) says it has arrested 254 traffic violators in Abuja, including a man who posed as a soldier.

In a statement on Sunday, Olusegun Ogungbemide, spokesperson of the commission, said 245 convictions were secured after mobile court sittings in Nyanya and Karu between September 8 and 12.

He said the exercise, tagged ‘Operation Restore Sanity IV’, was conducted in collaboration with the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) and the Nigerian Army Brigade of Guards.

Ogungbemide added that the operation targeted the Abuja–Nyanya axis, which is notorious for reckless driving, route violations and overloading.

“In all, 254 offenders were arraigned for committing a total of 563 traffic-related offences,” he said.

“Out of these, 245 were convicted while nine were discharged after due consideration by the court.”

He listed the offences to include seatbelt infractions (129 cases), drivers’ licence violation (122 cases), overloading (111 cases) and route violation (63 cases).

“Other offences such as dangerous driving, traffic light violation, number plate violation, wrongful overtaking, phone use while driving, caution sign violation and impersonation were also booked,” he added.

Ogungbemide said seven notorious offenders were convicted for multiple infractions, ranging from dangerous driving to impersonation and overloading.

He identified them as Shaab Murtala, Abel Sunday, Sunday Salasi, Benjamin Augustine, Ekem Charles, Hussaini Kabir and Samsudeen Abdullahi.

According to him, their punishments ranged from three hours to five days of community service.

“In a striking case, Hussaini Kabir, who not only committed traffic offences but also impersonated the military, was handed a five-day community service sentence to be served at Mambilla Barracks,” he said.

The statement added that the sittings were presided over by magistrates Maryam Muazu Alhaji and Huzaifa Maccido, with Cindy Talabi, FCT sector legal officer, serving as prosecuting counsel.

Shehu Mohammed, corps marshal of the FRSC, commended the FCT command for sustaining special interventions to check road indiscipline.

Mohammed said the exercise was part of a national strategy to strengthen enforcement and would be replicated across the country.

He warned motorists against reckless conduct, adding that the corps would not relent in prosecuting offenders to safeguard lives and restore order on the roads.