By Yunusa Isa, Gombe

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Gombe State Command, has commenced the 2024 Road Traffic Crash Victims’ Remembrance Week with a church awareness creation service.

Addressing congregants at Saint Thereza Catholic Diocese Tumfure, the Sector Commander, Gombe FRSC Command Samson Ƙaura, said mitigation of road crashes is a responsibility of all.

“It is on this premise that the Corps deemed it expedient as always to use this veritable podium to appeal to the conscience and consciousness of road users and road authorities on the need to embrace safe practices in the use of the roads. Governments and authorities are called upon to improve vehicular safety through adoption of the Safe System Approach. We also call on motorists, pedestrians and all road users to recognize the fact that ‘road traffic crashes kill more passengers than drivers and hence the need to remember that road safety is a collective responsibility. Please obey all traffic rules and ensure safety is a collective responsibility”.

He said the corps will continue on its course to zero road traffic deaths, through attitudinal change campaigns to ensure traffic rules and safety requirements are observed by drivers, tri-cylists, cyclists and the public during the end of the year yuletides.

Speaking on the 2023 and 2024 road crashes statistics, the sector commander said accidents are more prevalent in Africa and Nigeria in particular, maintaining that “Last year, a total of 5,081 people were killed and another 31,874 injured in 10,617 accidents. Between January and September 2024, a total of 3,767 people were killed in 7,011 accidents, with 22,373 persons injured”.

While appealing on religious, traditional and community leaders to engage their subjects on the dangers of reckless driving, and the significance of maintaining traffic rules, Ƙaura assured of the corps’ continuous synergy with all stakeholders for attitudinal change in attaining safer motoring environment in Gombe State and Nigeria.

Responding, the Parish Priest of the Saint Theresa’s Catholic Church Tumfure, Bauchi Diocese, Very Father Hillary Longs commended FRSC for its commitments to reducing road crashes in Gombe State and Nigeria.

He called on governments at all levels to fix all shaky and bumpy roads in their jurisdictions to save lives and properties of citizens.

While calling on believers to remain law abiding citizens not only on roads, the Catholic priest assured to use his influence to drive attitudinal changes for national development.

Special prayers were offered in remembrance of road crashes victims for God mercies to the deceased and healings to the injured.

Similar prayer sessions are lined up at mosques in the coming Friday.

The 2024 road traffic crashes victims remembrance week being celebrated by the FRSC from 17th to 23rd November is themed “That Day”.