Operation Velvet: Get safety requirements, avoid arrest, FRSC warns Lagosians

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on Tuesday advised motorists to avoid arrest by meeting the minimum safety standards.

Mr Hyginus Omeje, the Lagos State Sector Commander of FRSC, warned in Lagos that the corps would randomly pick vehicles for inspection during the ‘Operation Restore Sanity on Lagos Roads/Operation Velvet’.

He spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Omeje noted that the `operation’ was inaugurated on Thursday by the police in conjunction with agencies such as FRSC, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps to tackle perennial gridlock in the state.

“During the exercise, motorists will be randomly picked to check for minimum safety requirements in their vehicles.

“You must have your driver’s licence, your vehicle documents must be in order, you must have your fire extinguisher, jack, wheel spanner and caution sign, among others.

“If we observe that your lights are broken, and all those things mentioned are lacking, your vehicle will be impounded and you will be made to restore it and get everything in order before its release,” Omeje said.

The FRSC sector commander said that all erring motorists would be arraigned and prosecuted before mobile courts.

Omeje, who decried motorists’ disregard for traffic rules, said that it had extended jam on Bus Rapid Transit lanes.

He condemned driving against traffic, describing it as abnormal and suicidal.

Omeje told NAN that 120 men of FRSC would be deployed from its 10 unit commands in the state to join in the operation.

According to him, those to be deployed would be different from those already in the Special Team on Apapa Gridlock.

NAN reports that the `Operation Restore Sanity on Lagos Roads/Operation Velvet’ team is headed by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Imohimi Edgal.

The police identified some roads and areas for robust intervention during the exercise.

They include Akpogbon and Obalende bridges, Marina, Bar Beach and Idumota-lddo on Lagos Island; Allen Avenue, Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Agidingbin by Omole, Ile Zik-Mangoro and Agege Motor Road in Ikeja axis.

The others are ljora Badia, Alaka Junction and Ojuelegba on Lagos Mainland, as well as Alakija, lyana-Iba, Alaba Rago and Festac First Gate on the Mile 2-Badagry Road.