Crash helmet: 1,000 violators arrested in Lagos

Already, the cost of the protective helmets had increased by 100 per cent in some parts of the country as more people rush to purchase them to avoid wrath of the law.

The Federal Road Safety Commission had last year, fixed January 1, 2009 for the commencement of the enforcement.

Report across the country on Thursday said the FRSC made good its threat as some arrests were made on the first day of the enforcement.

In Lagos, the Sector Commander of FRSC, Mr. Kayode Olagungu, said over 1,000 motorcycle riders were arrested on the first day of the year for not using the protective helmets.

According to him, the motorcycles of the violators were also impounded and taken to the FRSC office at Ojodu.

Olagunju said that a committee led by the Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Prof. Bamidele Badejo, had been constituted to ensure total compliance and successful enforcement.

He added that a combined team of FRSC and the police carried out Thursday‘s enforcement.

Also speaking on the enforcement with one of our correspondents on Thursday, the FRSC Public Education Officer, Mr. Wole Olaniran, said the commission started the enforcement nationwide on January 1.

He said, ”We won‘t relax the enforcement. We‘ve been arresting those not using the helmet. We are happy that many people are already using it.”

“About 80 violators were arrested in one unit of Abuja alone, 35 in Kano and the same number in Kaduna. In Jos, they are rushing to buy the crash helmet there.”

He said that so far, it had recorded 50 per cent compliance by motorists nationwide.

A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria who monitored the situation reports in Abuja, however, reported that most motorcyclists were not complying with the directive.

Meanwhile, some sellers of the helmets in Lagos, Abuja and Uyo are cashing in on the rush for the product to increase the price.

The product, which was offered at N800 as at last week, was now being sold between N1,200 and N2,500.