Attributes major road crashes to reckless driving, overloading of animals in Niger
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has revealed that 3,433 persons have been killed in road crashes across the country between January and September 2025, while 22,162 others sustained injuries in 6,858 reported accidents within the same period.
Speaking during the flag-off of the 2025 Ember Months Public Enlightenment and Sensitisation Campaign on Monday in Abuja, the Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, said although the figure remains alarming, it marks a decline compared to 2024, indicating that ongoing road safety interventions are making an impact.
He urged motorists to avoid speeding, overloading, night journeys, and the use of phones while driving, stressing the need for patience and caution as traffic volume increases towards the end of the year.
Mohammed assured that the FRSC is intensifying collaboration with transport unions, state traffic agencies, and security agencies to ensure safer roads during the ember months, noting that road safety is a shared responsibility for all Nigerians.
He said, “From our 2024 Operation Zero, which ran from December 15, 2024, to January 15, 2025, we recorded 432 deaths and 2,070 injuries from 533 crashes. But between January and September 2025, our data shows 3,433 deaths and 22,162 injuries from 6,858 crashes.
“Though the figures are still high, it is a reduction compared to the same period last year. We will continue to intensify campaigns and enforcement to bring it further down.”
The Corps Marshal also announced the introduction of a contactless biometric driver’s licence system, which will eliminate temporary licences and make the process faster and more seamless.
He explained, “It’s seamless now. You don’t need to put your hand on a device for fingerprint capture. The new technology will capture your details automatically and synchronize them with our database.
“At the end of the process, you get your driver’s licence instantly—no more temporary licences or waiting periods of weeks or months. The system will commence this month, offering applicants a one-stop digitalised process that delivers licences instantly.”
During a visit to the FRSC Driver’s Licence Print Farm, Deputy Corps Marshal (Motor Vehicle Administration), Aliyu Datsama, confirmed that the Corps has scaled up production to clear the existing backlog.
He said, “We work 24/7 now because of the backlog. We had 800,000 pending licences, but we’ve reduced it to 400,000. Our daily production is 40,000, and in the next few weeks, we’ll clear everything, by the grace of God.”
Attributes major road crashes to reckless driving, overloading of animals in Niger
Meanwhile, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Niger State has attributed major causes of road accidents to reckless driving and overloading of persons, goods and animals across the state.
The State Sector Commander, Aishat Sa’adu, stated this during a press briefing to mark the official flag-off of the 2025 Ember Months Public Enlightenment and Sensitization Campaign in Minna.
She also noted other factors to include route violation (driving against traffic) and wrongful overtaking amongst others in the state.
The Commander explained that it was against this background that the command flagged off the ember month campaign aimed at reducing road crashes and ensuring safer roads during the festive seasons
Sa’adu observed that this year’s campaign theme “Take Responsibility for Safety: Stop Distracted Driving” emphasized that most road accidents are caused by human error.
According to her, statistics from the 2024 “Operation Zero” exercise conducted between December 15, 2024, and January 15, 2025 revealed that 46 people lost their lives, 205 were injured, and 432 were involved in 47 reported crashes across the state.
She stated, “Drivers’ attitudes such as over speeding, route violation, wrongful overtaking, and overloading remain the leading causes of crashes.
“To curb these incidents, the FRSC has deployed personnel and Special Marshals across major highways and accident-prone route routes”
The commander further disclosed that the command is also holding motor park rallies, town hall meetings, and media engagements to educate drivers and passengers on road safety.
She added that the FRSC will continue to collaborate with transport unions, security agencies, and the media to promote safe driving culture and achieve zero road crash fatalities during the Ember Months and beyond
