Mallam Shehu Mohammed, Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), says saving lives, protecting property and serving the public with integrity remain the core mandates of the Corps.
“These core mandates supersede enforcement of traffic laws,” Mohammed said on Wednesday in Enugu while addressing FRSC Officers and Men on Sensitisation, Discipline, Reinforcement and Strengthening of Command and Control.
Represented by Assistant Corps Marshal Uche Chukwurah, the Commandant of FRSC Academy, Udi in Enugu State, the corps marshal noted that the authority of FRSC flowed directly from public trust.
According to him, once that trust is compromised, our effectiveness is compromised.
He said, “Over the past months, we have observed a disturbing decline in discipline, professionalism and effective command and control in most field commands.
“These lapses have manifested as misconduct, unethical practices, abuse of authority, extortion, reckless enforcement behaviours and other actions that contradict everything this uniform represents and that steadily erode public trust in the corps.
“Let me state clearly and without ambiguity that such behaviours are unacceptable.
“They violate our regulations, betray our training, contradict our core values and ultimately endanger the credibility and reputation of the corps.
“Every time a road user loses confidence in us, our mandate becomes harder to achieve; every act of unprofessional conduct damages the image of thousands of disciplined staff; and every abuse of authority weakens the trust built over decades.”
Mohammed noted that the senior officers deployed to commands would serve as mentors, leaders and standard-bearers.
He said that they would engage the personnel and remind them of their core responsibilities.
He said, “Their mission is to strengthen discipline, reinforce leadership accountability and restore effective command and control structures that guarantee professionalism at all times.
“Let me emphasise that discipline is not punishment; discipline is protection. It protects our reputation, our careers, the corps and ultimately the lives of Nigerians who depend on us daily.”
Speaking, Assistant Corps Marshal, Anthony Oko, who is FRSC Zonal Commander, charged officers and marshals to live-up to expectations and uphold the standards the founding fathers of the Corp set up 38 years ago.
In a welcome address, FRSC Sector Commander in Enugu State, Mr Franklin Agbakoba, said that the command was aware of the reported cases of misconduct, unethical practices, extortion and reckless enforcement behaviours inconsistent with the FRSC Act 2007.
“In Enugu Sector Command, we have not been indifferent to these imperatives. On Jan. 14, we promptly complied with the memo dated Jan. 13, where staff were mandated to sign a bond “to be of good conduct.
“On Feb. 16, I convened a Sector Operators Meeting involving all Unit Commands and Oji-River Outpost, where the need to uphold discipline, ethical conduct, and prompt handling of disciplinary cases were strongly emphasised,” he said.
Agbakoba also lauded the new initiative of the corps marshal and assured the FRSC management that all officers and men within the command would rededicate themselves to discipline, enhanced professionalism and integrity.
All officers and marshals within the FRSC Enugu State Command, which included officers and marshals in the sector command, five unit commands, three driver licensing centres, one outpost, one zebra unit and one road side clinic, attended the event.