- Safiu Kehinde
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has explained the need for the enactment of the controversial Arms bill for the agency.
Speaking at a recent interview on Channel TV yesterday, the FRSC Corp Marshall, Sheu Muhammed, maintained that there is a provision in the agency’s Act for the possession of arms by its official.
Sheu, however, explained that the Corps’ request is to be availed an armed squad like other paramilitary outlets in the country.
As against the concern of the public, the FRSC boss maintained that the squad will only be saddled with the responsibility of protecting the agency’s infrastructure and facilities rather than using the arms for reinforcement and patrol.
“In our Act, there is a provision for FRSC to have and own arms. But then we are not asking for arms for reinforcement.
“We are asking for a squad just like other paramilitary. The idea is to protect our infrastructures and facilities, not to go and use it for reinforcement or patrol.
“It’s for us to protect our facilities and ourselves” Sheu said.
According to report, the bill to allow the FRSC carry arms has scaled for second reading.
The bill proposed creation of special armed squad for the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
It also seeks to make FRSC officers on the rank of Deputy Corp Marshal enjoy benefits attached to the rank, including retirement benefits as well as empower the corps with the sole responsibility for road traffic administration and safety management, preventing and minimising road traffic crashes on public roads, supervision of users of such public roads and regulation of traffic.