Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, on Monday said that corruption was under control in the agency.
Oyeyemi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the Corps had put in place an internal mechanism to check bad eggs among its personnel, especially patrol officials.
The FRSC boss was responding to a question on the sidelines of the ongoing 8th Commonwealth Regional Conference for Heads of Anti-corruption Agencies in Africa hosted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
He said, “One of the issues the Corps is noted for is zero tolerance for corruption.
“For example on the highway, the patrol teams, each of them is supposed to declare what they have on them, and they are not supposed to have more than N500, which must still be declared with the serial number documented.
“If they are taking anything in excess, it must also be declared. We have our surveillance monitoring teams nationwide; and I can say that the level of corruption is under strict control.
“I am not saying that we have zero level of corruption in the Corps, but at least it is under control, and anybody arrested, we try them through our appropriate disciplinary process, and they lose their services. So, we are on course. ”
According to him, the FRSC management is working closely with anti-graft agencies and other security outfits, including the ICPC, DSS and police in monitoring its personnel.
He noted that motorists and other road users had a big role to play in this regard by reporting corrupt officials, refusing to give bribe and obeying traffic laws.
He added, “Nigerians need to cooperate. If they do not offer, my boys would not receive. It takes two to tango.
“If the guy demands, they should tell him, ‘look, you are not supposed to demand for this, we are going to report you’.
“Our patrol cars are coded, and everybody is wearing uniform with their name.
“So, in this era of social media, I have told the public that if anybody demands, just take his name and the number of the patrol team, and then we will take appropriate action.
“There is no report I have received till date that we have not taken stern disciplinary action, and that is how it should be.’’
The FRSC helmsman said all hands must be on deck to rid the country of corruption if Nigeria was to be great again. (NAN)