Sixty-one people died while 196 others sustained injuries in 35 road crashes in Borno from January to date.
The state Sector Commander, Mr Utten Boyi, made this known on Tuesday in Maiduguri at the beginning of the ember months campaign.
The event was organised by the FRSC in collaboration with National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
Boyi said the accidents involved 42 vehicles and 302 people, and reiterated the commitment of FRSC to take appropriate measures to reduce traffic accidents in the state.
According to him, the accidents are caused largely by speeding, overloading and wrong overtaking.
He said the ember months campaign provided the opportunity to appeal to drivers to adopt defensive driving techniques while plaing the roads, particularly in this period.
Boyi said the theme for this year’s campaign was: “Avoid speeding, over loading and unsafe tyres to arrive alive.”
He said it was premised on the fact that speeding and tyre burst had been identified as some of the causes of crashes.
The sector commander lauded the support and cooperation the corps was receiving from Borno Government, sister organisations and other stakeholders in the state and urged for sustainance for maximum results.
The Zonal Commander of the FRSC, Mr Rotimi Adeleye, said the ember months campaign was a period set aside annually by the FRSC to sensitise and remind motorists and the public about what needed to be done to ensure safety of lives and properties on the roads.
“It is the time we remind ourselves of the inherent dangers associated with driving on our highways and why we need to imbibe positive attitudinal change and to be more careful and watchful, to reduce road traffic crash to the beareat minimum,” Adeleye said.
Also, the North East Coordinator of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Muhammad Usman, said as an agency leading in emergencies, NEMA would continue to work and support relevant organisations like FRSC in containing and reducing emergencies on the roads.
Borno Head of Special Marshal, Alhaji Mohammed, urged for good roads and more logistics support to FRSC to enhance thier performance in sanitising Nigerian roads.
Gov. Babagana Zulum, represented by his Commissioner of Transport, Alhaji Abubakar Tijjani, lauded the FRSC and other stakeholders for thier role in ensuring sanity on the roads and assured them of government’s sustained support.
He reiterated his administration’s commitment to continue to rehabilitate and construct new roads in the state to enhance movement of goods and service.
Highlights of the ceremony were free visual and blood pressure test for drivers and other members of the society.
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