Corps Marshal, the Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC), Shehu Muhammed ,has said that no fewer than 1, 539 persons lost their lives in road crashes on the Jos-Lafia-Makurdi corridor between January and March, 2025.
He stated this during a visit to Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State yesterday in Lafia, for the launch of “Operation Sanity” initiative in the state.
Muhammed revealed that annual death reports due to road crashes indicated that 1.19 million people died in the world, many of them from Africa in 2024.
He further said that Nigeria alone recorded 5,081 fatalities and 31,871 injuries in 2024, a situation he said was unacceptable.
“Between January and March 2025, 1,539 Nigerians lost their lives in the Jos-Lafia-Makurdi corridor, 30 deaths and 339 injuries occurred this quarter.
He said that the commission would work with all critical stakeholders to improve the standard of roads and reduce crashes on the highways across the country.
He appreciated Governor Sule on the landmark achievements recorded in the areas of infrastructure, uplifting the quality of life of the citizens, and economic development.
The Corps Marshal pointed out that the developments was reflected in the numerous projects being executed in the state, spanning healthcare, education, urban renewal, and electrification.
He said that the ongoing construction of flyovers and underpasses, as well as the reconstruction of some Federal Government roads linking the state with the Federal Capital Territory, Kaduna, and Kogi States, would ensure seamless land transportation.
“If the roads are good, it would go a long way to reduce road crashes as well as congestion,” he said
He also appreciated Sule for launching the Operation Sanity initiative of the corp and urged other governors to emulate him for a safer road.
“The rate of accidents is alarming and unacceptable; Operation Sanity is, therefore, a timely and commendable intervention to create awareness on road safety issues.
“In Nigeria, the Bureau for Statistics has estimated the cost of road crashes at a yearly 2 percent of the country’s GDP.
“Considering this huge socioeconomic cost of road crashes, I have to commend His Excellency for taking the bull by the horns to flag off Operation Sanity in Nasarawa State,” he added.
On his part,Sule, who launched the Operation Sanity initiative, commended the FRSC for rising to the challenge of reforming road safety culture, saying reckless driving had become endemic in the country.
“You have a very important job just like all members of your team, to be able to save the lives of people on the road.
“It is not an easy thing to do, especially in a country where a lot of people just enjoy driving at a very high speed,” he stated.
Sule reiterated the support of his administration to the FRSC and promised to join the corps as Patron of the Nasarawa State Special Corps Marshal.
The governor used the opportunity to congratulate the FRSC boss on his ascension to the peak of his career and commended his vision to reform the Commission.
Earlier, Comfort Ochiba-Asom, Nasarawa State Sector Commander of FRSC, said they would embark on massive public enlightenment, safety material distribution, and strict enforcement of traffic laws.
She added that the corps wants to instill a culture of responsible driving and also prosecute defaulters in order to meet the 10 per cent fatality reduction target.