FRSC to demand NIN for vehicle registration from April

• ‘Nigeria recorded 10,522 road accidents in 2020’

The Federal Road Safety Corps says it has commenced the enforcement of compulsory presentation of the National Identification Number (NIN) by applicants for national driving licence.

It also said with effect from the second quarter of this year, NIN would be a compulsory requirement for vehicle registration nationwide.

The Corps Marshal, FRSC, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, stated these in a statement, stressing that this was in total compliance with a presidential directive.

According to the press release signed by the Corps Public Education Officer at the FRSC, Bisi Kazeem, all applicants for vehicle registration are therefore expected to present their National Identification Number as a precondition for the registration of their vehicles from the second quarter of this year, April, adding that there will be no waiver for anyone irrespective of their status.

Explaining the importance of this to the national security architecture, the FRSC further emphasised that “the exercise had become very imperative seeing the critical role a harmonised database on citizens’ information will have on national development in terms of resolving the challenges of identifying individuals to assist security agencies in data collation and speedy retrievals to address critical national security challenges.”

It stated that the Corps Marshal also urged members of the public who had not enrolled in the ongoing NIN registration at the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to do so as the corps would not register any vehicle whose owner is not captured in the NIMC database.

It quoted the corps marshal as saying, “Beginning from the second quarter of this year (2021), if you want to register your vehicle, it is going to be compulsory for you to provide your NIN. This is part of the security checks. So once you provide your NIN, it makes the matter easier and helps the government in national planning, critical decision making and enhance adequate intelligence gathering for security of lives and properties.”

Nigeria recorded 10,522 road accidents in 2020  – FRSC

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) says no fewer than 10, 522 Road Traffic Crashes (RTCs) were recorded nationwide in 2020 involving 17,614 vehicles.

The Corps Public Education Officer (CPEO), Assistant Corps Marshal Bisi Kazeem, disclosed this in an interview in Abuja.

He said 4,794 persons were recorded dead and 28,449 persons got various degrees of injury within the period under review, while 29,808 had minor injuries and survived.

He said there was a decrease in the total number of people killed by road traffic crashes in 2020 when compared to 2019.

He added that In 2019, the Corps recorded 4, 878 deaths as against 4, 794 deaths in 2020 representing a decrease of 84 which was 1.75 per cent decrease.

According to him, the Corps recorded a total of 10,522 road traffic crashes involving 17,614 vehicles in the year 2020, as against 9, 957 involving 16,806 vehicles recorded in the previous year 2019.

“The total number of crashes increased in the year 2020 with a total of 565 crashes, representing 5.37 per cent increase.

“In 2020 alone, out of 63,581 people involved in RTC, a total of 4, 794 were killed, as against 4, 878 in 2019 representing 1.75 per cent decrease.

“A total of 28,449 people got injured in 2020 against 32,344 in 2019, representing a decrease of 3, 895 or 13.69 per cent.

“While a total of 29,808 people survived the crashes with injuries in 2020 against 32,499 in 2019, representing 6,745 or 10.67 per cent decrease,” he said.

Kazeem said the major causes of these crashes as observed by the Corps were speed-related violations, which contributed above 62 per cent of the total crashes.

He added that dangerous driving, driving under the influence of alcohol, overloading, break failure, tyre burst, wrongful overtaking and route violation were also probable major causes of crashes.

“Bad road, road construction violation, dangerous overtaking, sleeping on steering, poor weather, use of phone while driving, sign light violation, fatigue among others caused the crashes,” he added.

Kazeem said the Corps believed that a crash-free society was still possible only if all road users, including pedestrians ensured that all road traffic regulations were complied with accordingly.

He, however, warned that those who violated road traffic laws indiscriminately would definitely be penalised as the operatives were prepared to ensure compliance.