Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Shehu Mohammed, has suggested that arming road safety operatives might be the only effective way to enforce traffic regulations on Nigerian highways.
Speaking on Arise News on Thursday, Mohammed highlighted the severe challenges his officers encounter, particularly when attempting to halt heavy-duty vehicles.
“How do you stop a trailer or a tanker on the road? How do you just do that? It’s very, very difficult. A truck, especially a truck with probably 100 passengers on top, with animals, and you only have four personnel as a team on patrol, and trying to stop a trailer, how do you do that?” he said.
The FRSC boss argued that without adequate “power of cohesion,” enforcement is nearly impossible.
“It will support. If you don’t have the power to enforce anything, there’s no way you can achieve that enforcement,” he said, when asked if arms would help.
Mohammad also addressed allegations of bribery and extortion by some operatives, which often trend on social media.
He admitted the challenge exists but stressed that the Corps has been stricter than most agencies in punishing offenders.
“We have more record of termination and dismissal of our personnel because of bribe and corruption,” he explained, adding that the FRSC has a standing standard operating procedure to check misconduct.
The Marshal moved to clear the air on driver’s licence fees, following public complaints that officials were charging more than the official rate.
“For three years, it’s ₦15,000. For five years, it’s ₦21,000. It’s still the same figure, the same amount,” he said.
Mohammed apologised to Nigerians over the difficulties faced in processing driver’s licences, assuring that a revamped and more efficient system would be unveiled soon.
“By the first or second week of October, the public will experience an upgraded driver’s licence and improved service delivery,” he pledged.
The call to arm FRSC personnel is not entirely new. In October 2024, the House of Representatives passed a bill for second reading seeking to create an Armed Road Safety Corps—a specialised unit within the FRSC empowered to carry weapons and enforce traffic laws more decisively.
The move underscores growing concern about rampant traffic offences, recurring road tragedies, and the difficulties of maintaining order on Nigeria’s highways.
