By Sam Kayode
Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Boyi Utten has vowed to stop reckless driving of tipper drivers in the Borno State capital.
The drivers most of whom have been found to be unfit teenagers have killed many commuters between the Maiduguri metropolis while ferrying sand for reconstruction from one end of the town to another.
Our investigations reveal that in most cases “the main drivers of the tippers hand over the vehicles to their apprentices in the guise of wanting to rest and sometimes to pray. And it is these unfit boys that used to lose control when driving and end up ramming their vehicles into huge crowds of people in motion as one of them did recently on Gubio road.
Reacting to questions from this reporter on his knowledge of the lingering misbehavior of sand carrying tipper drivers in the city, FRSC Commander Boyi Utten said, “yes I am aware of the unfortunate situation caused by the reckless drivers especially within the Maiduguri metropolitan area.
” I have planned a series of comprehensive enlightenment talks with the drivers and their union executives to take place very soon and thereafter we shall commence serious enforcement by arresting violators of traffic laws among them.
“Our men were there and rescued the injured and the four deaths on the spot to the hospital. We are not happy at all with that incidence and so must take precautionary measures to avert any future occurrence, hence the enlightenment talks with the drivers and their Union executives.
Commander Boyi described the incident as quite sad and unfortunate adding that the wounded were taken to the Specialist Hospital post office area within the Maiduguri Metropolis.
On the excesses of the tipper drivers along other parts of the state especially the Maiduguri Mafa route the commander said that “Since I reported for duty in Borno I have not heard of any road crash along that customs, Mafa, Dikwa Gamboru Ngala road.
The FRSC Command of Dikwa Unit do cover that route and from records available to me” no arrest of an under-aged driver has been made. So I can not completely rule out existence of under aged drivers there. And this is unlike what we have along the Maiduguri Kongduga Bama road.
“I think it is not common along the Mafa Dikwa axis also because of the security challenges which is why my unit which should be based in Dikwa is still based in Maiduguri. Tippers have a very low rate of accident along that road.”Said Boyi.
Reacting to the development, tipper owner ” Serious Orafu” said that recklessness should be paid for by any of the drivers who is caught or arrested for violation of road traffic laws.
” I believe that the FRSC should begin to send some of these boys to prison for killing people recklessly. One of the major factors responsible for the frequent killing of commuters in Maiduguri is over speeding.
” Why do they over speed? Because most of them want to move fast so that they can make more trips. This is why they disrespect all the traffic rules and end up killing people at will.
” We have lots of tippers who go to Bama Dalori and even Auno depending on which types of sand the customers want. So we don’t know what happens along the road till they close and come to deliver to us.
” These boys do not know what is defensive driving or even the common driving code. They just move any how and put we the owners in trouble. That is why we believe that it’s the duty of the frsc to call them to order.
“That accident you are talking about took place in Chabal one village along Gubio road. The driver must have been drugs induced to have crushed those people even if he lost control. As a result also we expect the NDLEA to work on these kinds of lapses among the drivers.
“We have about 130 members and we do meet among ourselves to ensure that the right thing is done among ourselves but we obviously need to do more.
” We can’t know all their wrongs. It’s up to the frsc to work on all these challenges and ensure they are well handled to ensure the safety of everyone.
“Most of these kids do not produce driving licenses. They can’t even drive using the defensive driving mechanism. What causes the problem is that the drivers used to give the tippers to their boys or apprentices. It is these apprentices that cause most of these damages.
This reporter recalls that a recent tipper driver was alleged to have killed about half a dozen farmers at Chabal village on their way to their farms to harvest their products.
Eye witnesses said that “three ladies including a pregnant lady were killed from EYN church one of which was a pregnant woman .
” Another elderly woman from Dubai area off Baga road was also killed while 2 ladies a mother and a daughter from Chescon were out of those who met their sudden demise due to the carelessness of a teenager who lost control of his tipper and rammed into them.”
