FRSC launches “operation sanity” to tackle indiscipline, lawlessnes on roads

By Ola Taiwo

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has launched a six-day special enforcement operation across Osun, Oyo and Ondo states aimed at reducing road crashes.

This the agency is carrying out by cracking down on speeding, dangerous driving, overloading and other traffic violations.

The exercise, codenamed “Operation Sanity: Safe Roads Through Discipline and Compliance,” began on July 20 and will run until July 25, targeting some of the busiest highways in the South-West.

The major routes to be covered include the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ibadan-Ife-Ilesa Expressway, Ore-Sagamu Road, Ore-Benin Highway, Akure-Owo Road, Osogbo-Gbongan Road, Osogbo-Iwo Road, Igbeti-Ilorin Highway and several other strategic corridors across the three states.

The agency said commercial buses, articulated vehicles, petroleum tankers and school buses have been identified as priority categories because of the higher risks associated with their operations.

The FRSC said as part of the exercise, personnel will be deployed to identified black spots, high-traffic corridors and crash-prone locations, while ambulances, patrol vehicles, tow trucks and patrol motorcycles will be stationed for emergency response.

The agency directed intelligence officers to monitor enforcement teams to prevent extortion of motorists.

 It said collaboration with other security agencies, including armed services, will be strengthened throughout the operation.

The corps said enforcement will focus on offences such as speed limit violations, dangerous driving, overloading, expired or worn-out tyres, seat belt violations, use of mobile phones while driving, driver’s licence offences, mechanical defects, obstruction of traffic, excessive smoke emission and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

An operational order signed by the Zonal Commanding Officer, Assistant Corps Marshal Edward Odiete, said the initiative was introduced following an increase in traffic violations identified through crash analysis across the zone.

The command said recent findings showed that excessive speeding, dangerous overtaking, overloading, tyre-related offences, driving under the influence of alcohol or psychoactive substances, route violations and the use of mechanically deficient vehicles remain major causes of crashes on highways linking the three states.

“The Zonal Command hereby launches Operation Sanity as a coordinated special patrol designed to restore discipline on the highways, improve compliance with traffic laws and strengthen operational visibility across the zone,” the order stated.

The operation is expected to support the FRSC’s 2026 strategic target of reducing road traffic fatalities and injuries through intelligence-led and data-driven enforcement.

The command which disclosed that its zone had already recorded a 28 per cent reduction in road traffic fatalities and injuries as of the end of June 2026 said that the latest operation is intended to sustain and improve that performance.

The agency instructed its officers to prioritise rescue operations and public enlightenment, and urged that social media updates should emphasise the number of crash victims rescued rather than fatalities.

It said motorists should be informed promptly of alternative routes whenever traffic congestion occurs.

“The operation seeks to create a safer road environment by ensuring strict compliance with traffic laws while reducing the occurrence and severity of road traffic crashes throughout the zone,” the FRSC said.