The Federal Road Safety Corps in Anambra State said on Friday that it had convicted no fewer than 109 tanker drivers in the state in the last five days.
The Anambra Sector Commander of the corps, Sunday Ajayi, revealed this to the News Agency of Nigeria in Awka.
Ajayi said: “The operation scorpion special patrol has been on for five days and so far, we have successfully convicted 109 errant trailer drivers.”
Ajayi said the errant drivers were arrested, tried and convicted during the week-long “operation scorpion” safety campaign which began in the state on Monday.
He said they were convicted by the command’s mobile court for committing various traffic offences like tyre violation, non-latching of containers, driving without retro-reflective tape and refusal to submit for check.
The sector commander told NAN that one driver was arrested and remanded in police custody for whisking away one of his men during the special operation.
Ajayi said some drivers were still driving under the influence of drug and alcohol and called on transporters to improve on their safety management.
“We are calling on fleet operators to adhere strictly to vehicle safety standards by ensuring that the safety management department becomes more effective,” he said.
He urged employers of drivers who embarked on long distant journeys to always encourage their drivers to have a stop-over at their companies’ designated points to rest to guide against suffering from fatigue.
Ajayi called on motorists to be conscious of safety and obey simple road traffic instructions to avoid road crashes.
NAN.