The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ondo State has trained 531 special marshals to enhance road safety during the ember months and festive period.
State Sector Commander, Dr. Samuel Ibitoye, disclosed this on Monday in Akure at the sectoral workshop themed “Enhancing Security and Safety Strategies for Special Marshals’ Operations.”
Ibitoye said the exercise was aimed at reducing road crashes, injuries, and fatalities during the Yuletide, stressing that the workshop was part of the corps’ annual capacity-building efforts for its volunteer officers.
He described the special marshals as an essential arm of the FRSC, whose commitment and professionalism contribute significantly to road discipline and safety awareness.
“You can’t give what you don’t have, so this training is to ensure our special marshals know what to do and how to do it better,” he said. “We want to reduce deaths, injuries, and crashes this season. Safety is everyone’s business, not FRSC’s alone.”
The sector commander urged the trained marshals to be more active in public enlightenment, enforcement support, and promoting the corps’ image.
In his remarks, the State Coordinator of Special Marshals, Mr. Oladeji Adebayo, commended the FRSC leadership for the training, saying it would sharpen participants’ operational skills and strengthen their commitment to road safety advocacy.
He urged members to adopt best practices and prioritise their personal safety while carrying out field assignments.
“Our dedication to road safety and security is invaluable, but we must first take responsibility for our own safety before any other assignment,” Adebayo said.
Declaring the workshop open, the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Kayode Ajulo (SAN), represented by Barr. Ajibade Bamisile, lauded the FRSC for its life-saving initiatives and pledged government’s continued support for road safety programmes.
The event was attended by heads of security agencies, including the State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mr. Oluyemi Ibiloye, and the Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mr. Nanzing Sallah.