Accidents claim 2,422 lives in six months - FRSC

No fewer than 2,422 persons were killed and 11,961 injured in 3,708 road accidents between January and June of this year, according to a half-year report by the Federal Road Safety Corps.

This, according to the corps, indicated that road crashes had increased due to over-speeding by drivers.

Corps commandant in charge of public education, Jonah Agwu, who briefed newsmen in Abuja on Friday, said that the FRSC had commenced 'Operation Octopus' to stem the rising rate of road crashes in some road corridors across the country.

He said the operation which commenced last Friday, would involve 136 patrol vehicles, 32 ambulances,11 tow trucks,38 bikes and 2,605 personnel.

Agwu added that the exercise would hold in various routes including Kaduna-Kakau-Kateri-Sabon Wuse; Kaduna-Zaria; Chiromawa-Zaria.

Others are Ibadan-Ife-Ilesha; Ibadan-Ogunmakin-Ogere; Ibadan-Oyo-Ogbomoso;Lokoja-Abaji; Lokoja-Zariagi-Okene; Abuja-Abaji;Abuja-Suleja-Sabon Wuse and Benin-Asaba; Benin-Auchi; Onitsha-Owerri.

'The exercise will also hold on Jos-Hawan Kibo-Forest; Keffi-Akwanga-Forest; Akwanga-Lafia-Makurdi; and Jos-Toro-Bauchi roads,' he said.

Agwu said that the operation would involve public enlightenment, mobile speed control, mobile courts to address speed violation, over-loading and seatbelt use violation.