The Federal Road Safety (FRSC) has urged the public to disregard a resurfaced viral video showing a tricycle rider, unclad, violently confronting operatives of the Corps and damaging a patrol vehicle along the Benin–Sapele Road, in Edo State.
Assistant Corps Marshal, Corps Public Education Officer, Olusegun Ogungbemide in a statement issued Thursday said the recirculation of the video was a calculated act by mischievous handlers whose intent is nothing but to attract traffic to their social media pages, misinform the public, and stir unnecessary emotions over a matter that has long been resolved.
He said: “The attention of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has been drawn to a viral video currently circulating on social media platforms.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Corps wishes to emphatically state that the incident being circulated is not a recent occurrence.
“The event in question took place on 16th July, 2020 in Benin City, Edo State, and has since been thoroughly addressed both legally and administratively.”
TheHintsNews reports that following the attack, the tricycle rider, Mr. Adeshine Adeyemo, was arraigned in Court with case file number MEV/117C/2020 before His Worship, Magistrate F. Ojehumen of the Evbuoriaria Magistrate Court, Benin City.
Checks revealed that on 11 January 2021, he was found guilty and subsequently sentenced to three months imprisonment for malicious damage and breach of public peace.
Ogungbemide added: “In addition, the FRSC instituted an internal disciplinary panel to investigate the conduct of its personnel captured in the said video.
“After due process, the seven man patrol team involved was tried and sanctioned with reduction in rank for unprofessional and unethical behaviour during the encounter.
“They were also redeployed from their previous Command in line with the Corps’ zero tolerance posture against incivility and misconduct.”
Ogungbemide noted that the Corps at that time made it clear that while FRSC would not tolerate any attack or molestation of its operatives and installations, it equally would not spare any personnel found guilty of professional misconduct, saying this position remains unchanged.
He added that the resurfacing of this video at this time might create unnecessary panic and mislead unsuspecting members of the public into believing it is a recent development.
The FRSC, therefore, urged the general public to disregard the video as an old story that has been addressed comprehensively through judicial conviction of the offender and disciplinary sanctions on the staff involved.
Ogungbemide stressed that the Corps remained resolute in its commitment to ensuring safer roads and a more civil relationship between its operatives and the motoring public.