•Handover of N27m recovered in Osun crash shows the potential of Nigerian persona

Operatives of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Osun State reportedly handed over some N27million recovered from an accident scene in which six people lost their lives last week. The state sector command of the corps said besides the six fatalities, seven other persons got injured in the multiple road crash that occurred in Ipetu-Ijesa axis on Ilesa-Akure expressway penultimate Tuesday.

According to a statement by sector command spokesperson Agnes Ogungbemi, two commercial vehicles – an Opel model and Toyota Sienna – were involved in the accident suspected to have resulted from dangerous driving and excessive speeding. The statement read in part: “Seven people were injured, six people were killed. People involved were 14 but one person was not injured. The injured victims were taken to Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa, while corpses of the deceased were deposited at the same hospital’s morgue.” The statement added that men of the corps recovered N27,171,400 from the crash scene and handed it over to the victims’ family members. Also, N21,900 belonging to the driver of one of the vehicles was recovered and handed over to the Nigeria Police Force in Ijebu-Ijesa whose personnel towed away the vehicles to their station.

FRSC Corps Marshal Dauda Biu commended the Osun sector patrol team for handing over the money recovered from the crash scene and expressed satisfaction with the good conduct, honesty and sense of patriotism exhibited by the personnel. In a statement by Corps Public Education Officer (CPEO) Bisi Kazeem in Abuja, the corps marshal said the team did not only show professionalism in doing their job, but also ensured that the integrity of the corps was preserved. According to him, the recovered money was returned in the presence of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) for Ipetu-Ijesa, Seriki Owena, and the head of the Hausa community. “I want to commend the entire team for being patriotic, honest, efficient and professional in delivering the FRSC mandate. This act will never be forgotten as it is considered a great service to humanity. I charge every officer to emulate this character exhibited by the team, as good deeds pay off. The road is patient but does not forgive, “ Biu added. He lamented the crash, saying it could be avoided if motorists adhered strictly to traffic rules and regulations.

We join the FRSC boss in applauding the Osun sector command operatives for the exemplary honesty shown in handing over money recovered from the crash scene. The avoidable loss of lives in the accident is tragic and highly regrettable. But no one might ever have known there was such huge cash involved in the crash; and if the holders were among the fatalities, it would have been double loss – lives and resources – if the FRSC operatives had not returned the money. We need such God-fearing and honest disposition in the Nigerian persona to make this country a better place. The FRSC agents most likely did what they did without any expectation of reward. But it won’t be out of place to reward them in some measure, if only to motivate such conduct in the services and, indeed, among the general populace. A common tendency associated with security services in this country, especially those involved in civil operations and dealing with the unarmed public, is corruption and extortion. Whenever we have examples of sterling conduct as shown by the Osun FRSC operatives, it should be applauded and commended for emulation by others.