The Federal Road Safety Corps on Thursday said it does not issue tickets for expired tyres to motorists in the country.
The commission’s Head of Media and Strategy, Bisi Kazeem, told the News Agency of Nigeria that the FRSC was not mandated to do so.
Kazeem refuted claims by some members of the public that its officers were issuing tickets for expired tyres to motorists.
He said: “We do not issue tickets for expired tyres.
“Our focus for now is to improve advocacy.
“That is why we have organised series of awareness campaigns across the country.
“We are still engaging the motoring public in this direction.
“The FRSC operational guidelines have not changed.
“We do not ask motorists for waste basket; that allegation is also wrong.”
NAN reports that there has been series of complaints by some members of the public alleging that officers of the commission had taken to major streets and highways within the FCT issuing tickets for expired tyres to motorists.
Kazeem said the commission had not been charged to issue tickets for expired tyres to motorists, but rather educate vehicle owners on the life cycle and dangers of using expired tyres.
He said this was being done through physical demonstration of identifying the four digit numbers on the tyre wall.
Kazeem, however, stated that a vehicle owner could be issued a ticket for driving with worn out tyres, under inflated tyres or not being in possession of a spare tyre during routine inspection.
He said: “Our concern is for your vehicle to be road worthy with functional wipers, lights and brakes, fire extinguisher and other accessories required for the safety of occupants of a vehicle at a given moment.
“I am sure there is a twist on the issue of tyre.”
Earlier, Mary Olaifa, a teacher, told NAN that that she had been told by an officer that her tyres had expired hence she had to pay N2,000 each for the four tyres of her vehicle.
Olaifa said after making the payment, she was further told to go and buy new tyres.
Another motorist, Musa Yusuf, alleged that the FRSC personnel were on every street and highways harassing motorists and making them to pay indiscriminate fines.
Yusuf said the officials made motorists pay as high as N3,500 for every expired tyre, adding that this development had forced some motorists to abandon their vehicles to use public transportation.
He said: “If you observe well, you will notice that there is free-flow of traffic in and out of the FCT; I think this is because people are tired of being stopped by FRSC personnel while going about their businesses or rushing to work.”
John Okoro, another motorist, said he was stopped by some officers of the commission and asked to pay some money because his tyres had expired.
“I pleaded with them to give me time to enable me buy new tyres but they refused,” Okoro said.
He added: “That was a horrible experience.
“I had to start borrowing money to buy tyres that I did not plan for.
“I am not saying FRSC should not do their job.
“All I am saying is that they need to consider the economic situation rather than just thinking about meeting their target.”
Okoro appealed to the commission to be lenient when carrying out its duties.
NAN.
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