Mobile court convicts 245 traffic offenders in Abuja

The Federal Road Safety Corps of FCT Command has intensified efforts against traffic violators under Operation Restore Sanity IV, arresting 254 offenders, including a military impersonator, and securing 245 convictions during Mobile Court sittings held earlier this month.

In a statement signed by Assistant Corps Marshal and Corps Public Education Officer, Olusegun Ogungbemide, on Sunday, the FRSC said the special operation, conducted in collaboration with the Nigerian Correctional Service and the Nigerian Army Brigade of Guards, targeted the busy Abuja–Nyanya corridor, a hotspot for route violations, overloading, and reckless driving.

“In all, 254 offenders were arraigned for committing a total of 563 traffic-related offences.

“Out of these, 245 were convicted, while 9 were discharged after due consideration by the court,” the statement partly read.

The offences recorded included seatbelt violations (129 cases), driver’s licence violations (122), overloading (111), and route violations (63).

“Other offences such as dangerous driving, traffic light violation, number plate violation, wrongful overtaking, use of phone while driving, caution sign violation, and impersonation were also booked,” the FRSC added.

Seven notorious offenders, Shaab Murtala, Abel Sunday, Sunday Salasi, Benjamin Augustine, Ekem Charles, Hussaini Kabir, and Samsudeen Abdullahi, “were found guilty of multiple offences, including dangerous driving, impersonation, overloading, driver’s licence violation, use of phone while driving, and route violation.

Their punishments ranged from three hours to five days of community service.

“In a striking case, Hussaini Kabir, who not only committed traffic offences but also impersonated the military, was handed a five-day community service sentence to be served at Mambilla Barracks,” the statement noted.

Ogungbemide said the mobile court sittings were presided over by His Worship Maryam Muazu Alhaji and His Worship Huzaifa Maccido, with FCT Sector Legal Officer CRC Cindy Talabi serving as prosecuting counsel.

The FRSC warned motorists to desist from reckless behaviour, stressing that it will not relent in prosecuting offenders to safeguard lives and restore sanity on Nigerian roads.

The corps vowed similar exercises will be replicated across all states to strengthen enforcement and deter habitual violators.

Report that 46 individuals were convicted for various road traffic offences during a Mobile Court session conducted by the Federal Road Safety Corps in Calabar.

The court, presided over by Magistrate Abigail Asuquo, handled cases ranging from attempts to bribe marshals, overloading of vehicles, and driver’s licence violations, among others.