Fed Govt warns against attacks on law enforcement agents

THE Federal Government has declared that it will no longer
tolerate the spate of lawlessness and attacks on law enforcement
agents.

Acting Secretary to the Government of the Federation Dr. Habitat
Lawal gave the warning at a management strategic session of the
Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Abuja.

A statement by FRSC Corps Public Education Officer Bisi Kazeem
quoted the Acting SGF, who was represented by the Permanent
Secretary (General Services) in her office, Dr. Ugo Roy, as
reminding security agencies of their duty to ensure that citizens
obey the laws.

She said the citizens, on their part, must submit to rules and
regulations, and realise that the law enforcement agencies are
there to secure their lives and property.

The statement said: “This nation can longer tolerate flagrant
disobedience to laws, assault, maiming, killing as well as
abduction of security operatives.

“If the rate at which citizens contravene laws and regulations
is not checked, then the nation may lapse into dire strait.

“It is, therefore, the duty of all security agencies, including
the FRSC, to ensure that the citizens of this nation adhere to
rules and regulations.

“All security agencies must collaborate while Nigerians must
equally realise that the agencies are on duty to protect their
lives and properties.”

The SGF, who supervises the FRSC, spoke against the backdrop of
recent attacks against personnel and facilities of the Corps in
parts of the country.

Over 10 cases were recorded in July alone, prominent among which
was the shooting of two FRSC officials by security operatives
attached to the Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly in
Aba.

The acting SGF urged the FRSC management to rise up to the
challenge by being firmer in enforcement of the law and with its
commanding officers and the rank and file.

Dr. Lawal enjoined the Corps to work closely with the federal
and state ministries of justice to ensure that traffic law
offenders were prosecuted.

“FRSC must remain diligent, firm and fair in the discharge of
its duties. You must not allow the so-called ‘sacred cow syndrome’
to tarnish your good image.

“You must also put in place checks on field operatives so that
they stay within operational procedures and guidelines,’’ she
added.

She stated that the Federal Government was aware of the
challenges facing the corps, and was working towards solving them
in addition to remaining solidly them in the discharge of their
duties.

The Corps Marshal Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi said the forum was in
continuation of the interaction between the management and
commanding officers towards actualising the 2017 strategic goals of
the Corps.

The session, he explained, was an opportunity for management and
officers to share ideas and experiences, and review their
operational activities in the last one year to chart the way
forward.

On the spate of attacks on FRSC officials, Oyeyemi urged the
commanding officers to be more vigilant in their commands and
expand the frontier of their collaboration with relevant
stakeholders.

Oyeyemi thanked the Federal Government for its sustained support
to the Corps as shown in the reduction of road accidents in the
last seven months.

THE Federal Government has declared that it will no longer
tolerate the spate of lawlessness and attacks on law enforcement
agents.

Acting Secretary to the Government of the Federation Dr. Habitat
Lawal gave the warning at a management strategic session of the
Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Abuja.

A statement by FRSC Corps Public Education Officer Bisi Kazeem
quoted the Acting SGF, who was represented by the Permanent
Secretary (General Services) in her office, Dr. Ugo Roy, as
reminding security agencies of their duty to ensure that citizens
obey the laws.

She said the citizens, on their part, must submit to rules and
regulations, and realise that the law enforcement agencies are
there to secure their lives and property.

The statement said: “This nation can longer tolerate flagrant
disobedience to laws, assault, maiming, killing as well as
abduction of security operatives.

“If the rate at which citizens contravene laws and regulations
is not checked, then the nation may lapse into dire strait.

“It is, therefore, the duty of all security agencies, including
the FRSC, to ensure that the citizens of this nation adhere to
rules and regulations.

“All security agencies must collaborate while Nigerians must
equally realise that the agencies are on duty to protect their
lives and properties.”

The SGF, who supervises the FRSC, spoke against the backdrop of
recent attacks against personnel and facilities of the Corps in
parts of the country.

Over 10 cases were recorded in July alone, prominent among which
was the shooting of two FRSC officials by security operatives
attached to the Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly in
Aba.

The acting SGF urged the FRSC management to rise up to the
challenge by being firmer in enforcement of the law and with its
commanding officers and the rank and file.

Dr. Lawal enjoined the Corps to work closely with the federal
and state ministries of justice to ensure that traffic law
offenders were prosecuted.

“FRSC must remain diligent, firm and fair in the discharge of
its duties. You must not allow the so-called ‘sacred cow syndrome’
to tarnish your good image.

“You must also put in place checks on field operatives so that
they stay within operational procedures and guidelines,’’ she
added.

She stated that the Federal Government was aware of the
challenges facing the corps, and was working towards solving them
in addition to remaining solidly them in the discharge of their
duties.

The Corps Marshal Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi said the forum was in
continuation of the interaction between the management and
commanding officers towards actualising the 2017 strategic goals of
the Corps.

The session, he explained, was an opportunity for management and
officers to share ideas and experiences, and review their
operational activities in the last one year to chart the way
forward.

On the spate of attacks on FRSC officials, Oyeyemi urged the
commanding officers to be more vigilant in their commands and
expand the frontier of their collaboration with relevant
stakeholders.

Oyeyemi thanked the Federal Government for its sustained support
to the Corps as shown in the reduction of road accidents in the
last seven months.