JamzNG Latest News, Gist, Entertainment in Nigeria
A few years ago, on my way to Sokoto, at the level crossing in Tsafe town, Zamfara state, I met a stern-looking road safety officer, who asked for the details of my vehicle, which I promptly handed over. After reviewing the details, he requested a warning triangle and a fire extinguisher, which I provided. Having found nothing amiss, he tried to activate the fire extinguisher and, in doing so, broke the pressure head. We looked at each other and he apologized profusely. As the scene played, an overloaded commercial car passed, with passengers and cargo packed to three times the vehicle’s capacity.
The traffic safety officer pretended not to see the vehicle by looking the other way. I collected my details and left without saying a word. Another time, a road safety officer stopped me in Funtua, Katsina State, and asked to see my driving license, which I immediately handed over to him. The tendency of road traffic officers to harass law-abiding motorists is common on almost all roads in the country, especially for those of us who drive private vehicles with the required details and functional equipment. Once, on my way to Kano from Zaria, a road safety officer, after checking my details and finding nothing missing, bent down to examine the production and expiry dates of my tyres, all in an attempt to assign blame and extort me. I cannot afford to travel without fire extinguishers, unexpired spare tires, and seat belts, as I have seen how these common tools have saved lives and prevented injuries. He was certainly disappointed.
However, most commercial vehicle drivers, tricycle drivers and motorcyclists commit all kinds of traffic offenses and get away with it, while innocent and humble-looking private vehicle drivers like me and others get harassed without committing any crime. Well, as Dan Bello would say, “This is Nigeria.” Most disturbing is the adoption of “new norms” in road transport by drivers of commercial vehicles and motorcyclists, who are mainly responsible for massive road accidents with disastrous consequences. What are the “new norms”? Before answering the question, what is the level of road accidents in Nigeria?
Nigeria is one of the countries with the highest road accident rate in the world. In 2025, the Nigerian Red Cross Society on March 11 and the World Health Organization on September 23 reported an estimate of 21.4 road traffic deaths per 100,000 population in Nigeria, placing the country significantly higher than developed regions but close to the African regional average of 19.5 and the global average of 17.5. However, the FRSC reported 10,446 road accidents and 5,289 deaths nationwide during January-December 2025, meaning that on average, Nigeria recorded about 29 road accidents and 14.5 deaths every day in 2025. Compared to 2024, the FRSC recorded 9,570 accidents and 5,421 deaths, indicating that the number of accidents has increased, even as fatalities recorded have decreased slightly from the 2024 level.
According to a study conducted by Wasiu et al., in Nigeria there were an average of 1,042 deaths per 100,000 vehicles and a loss of goods of ₦80 billion due to road accidents (www.researchgate.net/
One of the “new rules” provides for the positioning of passengers in the cabins of vehicles intended for loading goods. It is common to see one to three people crammed into the stand of a commercial vehicle, along with the goods. I have repeatedly observed on many roads commercial cars with a maximum capacity of four passengers and a driver, carrying three in front, four in back and four passengers in the cabin, called the “big living room”. Recently, I saw a Golf three vehicle carrying a bull and two passengers on the roof, with 11 people on board, the driver whizzed by, normally passed and waved at traffic officers. How ironic!
These vehicles exceed the speed limit, and if they are involved in an accident, the consequences can be tragic. One wonders why some passengers agree to be accommodated in a large lounge; the reason is the economic advantage of paying a lower fare than seated passengers. These drivers manage to get away with it despite the presence of traffic police officers; that’s why it has become the new norm. Why are traffic commissioners and officials docile? Do they get grease on their palms or are they overwhelmed by multiple thugs, leading them to neglect the new normal? The Corps Marshal must act decisively to reduce the tragic loss of life and property due to traffic accidents.
Another “new norm” concerns the use of commercial motorcycles in rural and urban areas. The activities of these commercial motorcyclists, popularly known as “Okada” or “Achaba”, have caused several road accidents due to the dangerous and reckless manner in which they ride their motorcycles. They do not appear to be aware of the road traffic rules and regulations governing road users. They mostly travel at high speed to transport passengers as quickly as possible and increase their daily income. Two important “new norms” adopted by this category of road users are overloading and the removal of mirrors from motorcycles. I have repeatedly seen motorcycles carrying four to five people or three 100kg bags of grain. A motorcycle carrying three people with a load while driving at high speed has been a common sight in most urban areas and satellite towns of major cities such as Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Kaduna and others. Ideally, a motorcycle is designed to carry the rider and one passenger (two people) with a light load moving at medium speed.
In addition to overloading, more than 90% of motorcycles on our roads have their mirrors removed by their drivers. Mirrors are mounted on the left and right sides of the motorcycle to help the rider look behind oncoming vehicles and avoid being overtaken. The reason for removing these mirrors is to reduce the speed of the motorcycle, as air resistance increases with the increase in width caused by attaching the left and right mirrors. Therefore, several motorcycle accidents are caused by drivers’ failure to pay attention to their rear and avoid oncoming vehicles. But another “new norm” is the refusal of motorcyclists and passengers to wear helmets, which prevents serious head injuries in the event of an accident.
Again the tricycle, with a normal capacity of three passengers and a driver, is forced to carry six to ten passengers. At one point I counted about 15 people, some inside and others wrapped around the tricycle, called a “kekenapep”; it was a disgusting sight, inviting an accident. In most cases, a merciful God allows such scenes to pass unscathed. What a benevolent God!
Some of the main responsibilities of the FRSC are to prevent or minimize accidents on highways; eliminate obstacles on any part of the highways; and educate drivers, motorists and other members of the general public on the proper use of highways. So, why does the FRSC ignore these traffic offenders? Why do traffic commissioners look the other way?
While it is commendable to see the responsiveness and readiness of traffic officers when an accident occurs, they are ready to evacuate accident victims. However, they must remain vigilant to prevent accidents. They must insist that passengers are not carried in the large hall, that all motorcycles have mirrors and that there are no more than two people on a motorcycle. These measures will certainly help save the lives of our compatriots. To you, Alhaji Shehu Mohammed, Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Nigeria. There is a need to organize a rigorous campaign to educate motorcyclists about the importance of mirrors, penalize violators and build capacity for all categories of road users. Can we have mobile courts for traffic crimes nationwide? The National Assembly should act in this direction. May God give you and the traffic commissioners the wisdom to do what is necessary. Amen.
