18th December, 2014
Jethro Ibileke/Benin
Charles Akpabio, the Zonal Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Zone 5, (Edo, Delta and Anambra states), has blamed the increase in the issuance of fake driver’s license in the country on the connivance of its officers and men.
Akpabio who disclosed this at the decoration ceremony of six newly promoted officers at the command’s headquarter in Benin on Thursday, warned officers and men of the zone to stay away from driver’s license racketeering or risk severe sanctions.
While describing the increasing rate of possession of fake driver’s license by motorists as “worrisome,” he said the command was not unmindful of inside connivance in the whole network of fake driver’s license racket.
“And I am using this medium to sound a note of warning to marshals and officers to desist from this act as it is criminal and an act of sabotage. The command will not hesitate to sanction any officer or marshal caught in the act,” he said.
He disclosed that “five more processing centres will be opened very soon to complement the existing centres so that motorists will be saved the agony of having to travel far from their location of abode to the few existing centres.
“Some of the victims of fake driver’s license racketeers have attributed the limited number of centres as be responsible for the incidence of fake issuance of driver’s license.
“So, to avoid and cut off these activities of quacks, we advise motorists to go to these centres and insist on doing the right thing to get genuine driver’s license and not through a third party who swindle them of their money and issue them fake documents. You have to be captured for your details to be in our data to be issued a genuine driver’s license,” he said.
Akpabio, who used the occasion to congratulate the newly promoted officers, urged them to be more dedicated to their duties especially, this yuletide season, where the roads usually experience heavy traffic.
He disclosed that headquarters had empowered the command with equipment such as additional two towing trucks, eight motor-bikes among others to ease officials’ logistic maneuvering, adding that the command would increase its patrol fleet of cars on some designated corridors as from Dec 19, up to Jan. 13.
“We will establish patrol camps at designated corridors aimed at ensuring that our presence is felt to ease traffic during this period.”
Those promoted from the rank of Assistant Corps Commandant Deputy Corps commandant are Roland Onamusi, Felix Afoke, Udeme Eshiet and Samon Eniyemo.
Godwin Ogbemi and Akpojotor Eric were promoted from the ranks of Senior Route Commander to Superintendant Route command and from Deputy Route commander to Route Commander respectively.