By Halimah Olamide
The Federal Road Safety Corps has said it is not seeking the enforcement of traffic laws based on Sharia principles. The FRSC stated this against the backdrop of a statement credited to its Commander in Bauchi state during the week. Dissociating the corps from what it called “baseless and unfounded opinion” the FRSC, in a statement to the NPO Reports by Bisi Kazeem, Head of Public Education said there are existing extant regulations on enforcement of traffic rules and prosecution of offenders.
“The public is to note that the entire statement does not in anyway, reflect the position of the Federal Road Safety Corps,” he said
He hinted that the Corps Marshal, Dauda Ali Biu has recalled the Sector Commander to the National Headquarters Abuja, for necessary administrative action. The statement added that the Sector Commander through the quoted statements has breached the FRSC regulations and the Standard Operating Procedures.
“Without any reservation, it is key to inform the general public that the Federal Road Safety Corps is a Government Agency with statutory responsibilities for road safety administration in Nigeria and sensitive to the country’s multi-religious as well as heterogeneous ethnic composition.
“The Corps was founded through Decree No. 45, as amended by Decree 35 of 1992 referred to in the statute books as the FRSC Act cap 141 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN). The Act was passed by the National Assembly as Federal Road Safety Corps (establishment) Act 2007.
“By this very fact, it is important to clearly posit that the Corps is neither a religious nor sectional organisation, but a Federal Government Agency established with a mandate that is guided by the provisions of an establishment Act; and not a Sharia, Mosaic, customary, canon or any other law whatsoever that contradicts the provisions of it’s establishment Act, or the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The FRSC said its lead agency role is shielded in strict compliance with established regulations duly passed by the National Assembly. It added, “As such, the public is humbly called to disregard the entire content of the opinion as published because it is outrightly baseless, unfounded and does not apply in our operations and service to the Nigerian people.”