The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Oyo State Command, has arrested no fewer than 63 motorists for violating social distancing order due to overloading of persons.
The state FRSC Sector Commander, Mrs Chukwurah Uche, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan on Thursday.
Uche said that the command would continue to ensure the enforcement of the Federal Government order on social distancing on both private and commercial vehicles to curtail the spread of coronavirus.
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The sector commander said that the men and officers of the command regularly went on patrol to check for vehicles that were overloaded, especially in persons.
“Micra taxi car is not allowed to carry more than one passenger in front and two at the back. Tricycles are to carry two passengers only at the back while motorcycles must carry only one passenger.
“The buses are to carry half of their passengers; that is two on each row and one in the front.
“Anyone caught violating this order will be issued a ticket and we will insist that the extra persons in the vehicle come down and that is why you see little compliance in the state,’ Uche said.
The sector commander further said that the command would not accept partial compliance with the order and would not relent in arresting the violators until the order was fully obeyed by motorists in the state.
She said that the possibility of spreading the virus might be high as long as vehicles were overloaded.
Uche also said that the command was trying as much as possible to ensure that its men and officers were protected against the virus through the provision of sanitiser, soap, water and compulsory wearing of face masks.
“The officers have been warned to always maintain social distancing when arresting an offender and as well wash their hands with soap immediately they are done with any offender.
“We have actually tried to make sure that they are not open to infections because coronavirus has no respect for anyone,’’ she said.
The sector commander called on motorists and other Nigerians to obey the order on social distancing, use of protective equipment and other protocols against COVID-19 as laid down by Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).