By: Fanayajo Ranti
The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Shehu Mohammed, mni, has officially flagged off the 2025 Ember Months Public Enlightenment and Sensitization Campaign with a strong call for collective responsibility in promoting safer roads across Nigeria. Speaking during a press conference in Abuja, he highlighted the significance of the Ember Months period, typically marked by increased travel, traffic congestion, and a higher risk of road crashes, and reaffirmed the Corps’ commitment to reducing fatalities through proactive public education and enforcement.
Mohammed expressed profound appreciation to the media for their consistent support in driving road safety awareness nationwide. He noted that the year’s theme, “Take Responsibility for Your Safety: Stop Distracted Driving,” was strategically chosen to emphasize human behavior as a major factor in road traffic crashes. He cited 2024 crash data revealing that 432 people lost their lives and over 2,000 were injured between December 2024 and January 2025, mainly due to driver fatigue, overloading, reckless driving, and the use of mobile phones while driving.
Thetochlightafriica.com Reporting Outlining FRSC’s strategy for the 2025 campaign, the Corps Marshal announced the deployment of personnel and special marshals across major highways, the conduct of free vehicle checks, motor park rallies, and nationwide town hall meetings with key stakeholders. These activities, he explained, are designed to discourage road traffic violations such as speeding, driving under the influence, and non-use of seat belts, common causes of accidents during the festive season. He assured that these proactive measures will significantly reduce crashes and enhance public safety.
Highlighting recent achievements, Mohammed disclosed that the Corps has upgraded its driver’s license printing capacity to 15,000 daily, with plans to introduce contactless biometric capture and on-the-spot license printing. This innovation, he said, will end delays and usher in a new era of digitalized, one-stop processing. He also revealed that FRSC, in partnership with Kwapda’s Road Safety Demands (KRSD), will host an international conference on road crash victims in November 2025 to strengthen post-crash care in line with the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety.
Concluding his address, the Corps Marshal expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for its sustained support and urged all Nigerians to embrace safer driving habits. He formally declared the 2025 Ember Months Campaign open, emphasizing that collective effort and responsible behavior remain key to achieving safer roads and saving lives as the country approaches the Yuletide season.