By Chinenye Jane Anaeme
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has reiterated her overwhelming commitment to the safety and wellbeing of Nigerian students and all road users, following a very strategic meeting with the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) at the FRSC Headquarters on Wednesday.
The meeting, convened at the instance of the Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, mni, came in response to recent concerns raised by NANS over the incessant crashes involving articulated vehicles which tragically claimed the lives of students in Edo State.
Speaking during the meeting, the Corps Marshal expressed heartfelt condolences to the families of the killed students, describing every life lost on Nigerian roads as “a wound to the conscience of the nation.” He commiserated with the student body and assured them that their voices have not only been heard, but are already shaping deliberate actions to end the menace of reckless driving by truck operators.
He stated among others that; “Our students are the future of this country. Losing them to avoidable crashes is not just painful, it is highly unacceptable. This meeting is not about shifting blames but about finding lasting solutions together. FRSC is prepared to work hand in hand with NANS to ensure that no family has to mourn a child because of a preventable crash.”
In his remarks, Comrade Lucky Omonefe, the Immediate Past National President and serving Ex-Officio 1 of the Association, who represented the current President, acknowledged the Corps Marshal’s invitation as a demonstration of sincerity and respect for the Nigerian student community. He emphasised that dialogue, not confrontation, remains the strongest path to progress.
“We came with anger, but we are leaving with hope. What we have seen today is leadership that listens. Dialogue is the tool we must all embrace to change drivers’ behaviours, stop recklessness, and reduce carnage on our roads,” he said.
The Corps Marshal used the opportunity to outline ongoing and intensified measures being deployed by FRSC to address the menace of truck crashes across the country. Some of which include: partnership with major fleet operators, including Dangote Group as well as BUA Group, revealing that FRSC has so far trained and certified thousands of heavy-duty truck drivers across Ibese, Obajana, and other depots. More training is still ongoing in Okpella and Gboko, with focus on defensive driving, fatigue management, and adherence to traffic regulations.
He stated that over 2,700 trucks were recently subjected to rigorous checks in line with FRSC’s annual fleet operators’ certification, ensuring only roadworthy vehicles are on Nigerian highways.
In addition, he said that the Corps is strengthening its patrol and surveillance systems with technology that tracks driver behaviour, while pushing for speed limiting devices and improved safety standards for heavy duty vehicles. Beyond enforcement, FRSC is engaging critical stakeholders, students, transport unions, fleet owners, and community leaders through town hall meetings across all formations, to collectively drive behavioural change and instill safety consciousness on Nigerian roads.
This engagement with NANS, the Corps Marshal emphasised, is not a one-off meeting but the beginning of a sustained partnership with Nigerian students. He assured the public that FRSC will continue to prioritise safety through empathy, enforcement, and education.
Expectedly, he appealed to students and the general public to remain calm, assuring that decisive steps are being taken to end the needless tragedies on Nigerian roads; stating that no protest is more powerful than a united commitment to save lives, while assuring Nigerians that the Corps’ readiness to raise the bar of safety on Nigerian roads cannot be compromised.
