The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, on Tuesday ordered Commanding Officers across the country to arrest violators and impound unauthourised vehicles during the lockdown.
Oyeyemi, in a statement by the Corps Public Education Officer, Mr Bisi Kazeem, in Abuja also ordered the Corps to step up ongoing enforcement on restrictions and social distancing among vehicle occupants.
He said that this was necessary to carry out the Presidential directives holistically by impounding at sight any vehicle found violating the orders.
The News Agency of Nigerian (NAN) reports that President Muhammadu Buhari has extended for 14 days the lockdown in Lagos and Ogun States and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, from April 14.
According to Oyeyemi, the directive is to show FRSC commitment in sustaining the existing collaborations with Federal and State Governments in the fight against Coronavirus.
“This is to further ensure that the restrictions are diligently and effectively enforced with all sense of professionalism, civility and resilience, ” he said.
Oyeyemi added that the upsurge in deaths and spread of the virus across the globe, which the Federal Government was working to subdue in Nigeria, was not an operation the Corps was ready to treat with kids gloves.
“As such, Commanding Officers are to ensure full utilisation of the work force through effective deployment of personnel to arrest without hesitation, any motorist who contravenes the stay at home order.
“Commanding Officers must ensure that the vehicles are impounded and the occupants handed over to the Police for prosecution in the Court of Law for contravening the Presidential Order on restrictions, social distance and stay-at -home.
“Except the vehicles and the occupants were accredited essential workers with proof of identification,” he said.
The Corps Marshal warned citizens to comply with the restriction order or face the wrath of the law.
He also advised essential workers who might be tempted to compromise with the social distance directives in vehicles to restrain from such, adding that Coronavirus does not discriminate or spare anybody irrespective of class or profession. (NAN).