The Federal Road Safety Corps, (FRSC) has reacted to a viral online video of its officials maltreating a tricycle operator.
The incident involving some FRSC patrol officials and the tricycle rider happened along Sapele Road, Benin, Edo State, Naija News reports.
However, the FSC spokesperson, Mr. Bisi Kazeem in a statement on Monday where he reacted to the trending video pointed out that the happening is a past event which has only found its way back to the internet.
According to Kazeem, the incident happened in July 2020 and the officials involved have already been sanctioned with punishments according to the regulations of the corps for their unprofessional conduct in public while the tricycle rider was charged to court and sentenced accordingly.
He, therefore, urged members of the public to ignore the video in circulation as those promoting it on social media are only trying to heat up the polity.
In his words, ”This is a misrepresentation as the event did not just happen. The video was recorded in Benin, on the Benin/Sapele road on July, 16, 2020.
”The video showed an erring tricycle rider in a face-off with FRSC patrol team, after he was caught destroying a patrol vehicle on the Sapele road Benin, Edo.
“The Corps wishes to inform the general public that the incident did not just happen as purportedly misrepresented by social media operators.
“The officer involved has been adequately disciplined in accordance with FRSC Regulations on Maintenance of Discipline at the instance of the Corps Marshal, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi and the outcome of the trial made public on Aug. 2, 2020.
“As an organization that does not condone indiscipline, the Corps has punished the said staff for being uncivil towards the tricycle rider.
“This was so as to serve as deterrence and compel others to be tolerant, more professional, and gentlemanly while handling traffic violators.”
Kazeem recalled in his statement that a Magistrates’ Court sitting in Benin city had also on Jan. 11 2021, sentenced the tricycle rider, Adeshina Adeyemo, to three months imprisonment for attacking the patrol operatives and damaging their vehicle.
This article was originally published on Naija News