Leadership (Abuja)
Uzochukwu Obiekwe
2 November 2009
The Federal Road Safety Corps(FRSC) has banned unauthorized motor racing on Federal Capital Territory (FCT) roads and highways. This is coming on the heels of the arrest of seven youths suspected to be involved in an illegal motor race along the highways in the FCT near National Mosque by the FRSC and the Nigerian Police last Sunday.
The sector commander of the FRSC in the capital territory, Commander Nseobong Akpabio who made this known to journalists yesterday in a press briefing in his office in Utako, Abuja warned members of the group and others to respect traffic rules and regulation guiding the use of roads or face the long arm of the law.
Akpabio said that the National Road Traffic Act 2004 and the FRSC Establishment Act 2007 which regulate the use of roads in Nigeria regard the sanctity of life as supreme "and as such the practice of motor racing being carried out illegally by a group of boys, aged between 15 and 26 years old using expensive vehicles on the road for motor race illegally, need the action of the law enforcement agencies".
According to him, the suspects were, especially on weekends organizing unauthorized motor racing along the highway behind the National Mosque,
"In the first instance, when we noticed the display of wealth, display of the vehicles, we thought at the initial point that they were from the National Mosque, but later we realized that they have no link whatsoever with the National Mosque, but they are children of the wealthy in the society who decided to show indiscipline on the road. That's why we decided to bring police and make sure they talk.
"Yesterday, as early as 3pm, we were on the road. They decided not to carry out the exercise at the back of the National Mosque where they normally did, because we deployed our personnel there with the police men. So they left the back of the National Mosque and moved to the front of it. Behold when they were confronted, some of the boys claimed that they are from the homes and families that have money, and that they can pay the money fee," he added.
He stated that when the youths were arrested, they began to talk to FRSC personnel in a rude way. 'Do you know us, or do you want to know us. We will call our parents to move against FRSC. Are you not an enforcement agency like the police? We shall be back next week in full force. Wait and see.' "That's exactly what the children said.
The cars they were driving were not less than N1 million each. It shows that they are not from poor homes. And going by the trend, if we don't stop the action, it will send a wrong signal to the families out there. Yesterday, we impounded two of their vehicles and arrested seven of the boys.
As I speak with you, the boys have been handed over to the police. They will be prosecuted accordingly."Akpabio noted that from investigation, only one of them stated that he was hired to bring drinks for the others, which was confirmed with some bottles of alcoholic drinks found in one of the vehicles impounded.
The sector commander assured that his command would not condone such indiscipline in the territory. "We have been directed to put every thing together and stop them. So, we are going to use all the available legal laws or regulation and move against this group of boys".
Last Sunday, the cameras of Nigeria Television Authority caught the lawless drivers around National Mosque, racing their cars in very dangerous manner, and crashing into the embankment, to the cheers and jeers of the watching crowds.
Some who spoke with our reporter said they found the sight very spectacular, and a form of excitement on Sundays while others condemned the act, saying it was the evidence of a lawless society.The FRSC has now banned such illegal racing on Abuja roads.
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