No fewer than 932 motorists have been apprehended by the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Cross River State branch, over the last six months for various traffic violations, including attempts to bribe personnel, overloading, illegal parking, illegal U-turns, one-way driving, and obstruction of traffic.
The arrests, carried out across the state, are part of the FRSC’s enforcement efforts to deter road users from contravening provisions of the Cross River traffic law.
The Sector Commander of the FRSC in the state, Innocent Etuk, disclosed this during an interview with journalists who visited the command’s headquarters in Calabar for a fact-finding mission.
Etuk added that since assuming office in June 2025, 548 motorists had been apprehended for overloading, while 384 others were arrested for attempting to compromise FRSC personnel.
According to him, the figures have placed Cross River as the third highest command nationwide in terms of arrests related to attempts to corrupt FRSC officials, describing the development as a morale booster for the command.
He attributed the outcome to his resolve to end what he described as a culture of indolence and compromise within the system.
“Upon my resumption, I made it clear that it would no longer be business as usual. Indiscipline and compromise will not be condoned,” Etuk said.
The sector commander further revealed that the command currently operates four mobile courts, through which 157 traffic offenders have been arraigned, 153 convicted, while four were discharged.
Etuk also expressed concern over road crashes recorded during the third quarter of the year, noting that 33 crashes, representing 23.6 per cent, occurred mostly during night travels.
“Out of these crashes, 30 persons were injured and, unfortunately, six lives were lost. Most of these infractions were caused by human error,” he said.
He added that enforcement activities intensified following the launch of ‘Operation Zero’ on December 15, which will run until January 15, 2027, leading to more proactive responses to traffic violations across the state.
Etuk identified overloading as one of the major challenges confronting the command, especially along routes linking the Northern Cross River axis to Calabar, where vehicles conveying large quantities of foodstuffs are common.
He noted that joint operations with sister agencies, including the Department of State Services (DSS), had helped in discouraging night travel and significantly reducing cases of overloading.
“From July till date, we have recorded over 384 cases of drivers attempting to corrupt our men. With sustained joint operations, night travel has reduced and overloading has also dropped. That is a major achievement,” he stated.
The FRSC boss said the command had intensified public enlightenment campaigns through programmes such as Early Morning Cry, Crash Squad, Good Morning Calabar, and other mass media initiatives aimed at educating motorists on traffic rules and road safety.
He urged passengers and pedestrians to also take responsibility for their safety by cautioning reckless drivers.
“Road safety is a collective responsibility. I want to appreciate our sister agencies. We work as a family, and their support has been wonderful,” Etuk added.
