Mr. Ogbonna Onovo, the Inspector General of Police, has ordered that any security personnel found contravening traffic rules and regulations should be given summary trial.

He, however, stressed that the trial must be in accordance with service rules and appropriate punishment.

Onovo, who was represented by the FCT Commissioner of Police, Mr Haruna John, gave the order at the joint news conference with the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Abuja on Tuesday.

According to him, the FRSC and the Police have set up monitoring teams to carefully evaluate the driving behaviours of convoy drivers.

“Teams of officers, led by senior officers have been deployed to various parts of the country directly from the office of the Inspector General of Police.

“It is true that from time to time we witness such unfortunate attitude of some of our junior ranks attached to some Very Important Personalities (VIPs) who want to get to their destinations faster.
“At every division, there are senior officers and all have been strictly directed to take appropriate action.

“Nothing prevents the officers from arresting uniform personnel of any service who act in any manner that contravene the laws of the land.

“We are not just talking about discipline; we are talking about breaching of the laws. Overtaking wrongly is an offence punishable under the road traffic act,’’ Onovo said.

Speaking, Mr Osita Chidoka, the Corps Marshal of the FRSC, called on law enforcement officers traveling in convoys, especially the Aide Camps (ADCs) to top government officials to consciously monitor the speed limit of their vehicles.

Chidoka, who was represented by Assistant Corps Marshal in charge of operations, Mr. Boboye Oyeyemi, said such officers would be held liable in the event of any contravention of traffic rules by drivers of their vehicles.

“Consequently, there have been challenges of managing the traffic and averting the resultant road crashes and deaths.

“But one area that has remained most challenging to us in our operations during this festivity period is the menace of convoy drivers,’’ Chidoka said.

According to him, the activities of the drivers have become a source of concern to the authorities, adding that they have been causing road obstructions, traffic hold ups and lane indiscipline and untold hardship to the motoring public.

He urged members of the public to copy the number of any offending convoy vehicles and report to the office of the Inspector General of Police with details of the vehicles.

Such information he added should then be forwarded to FRSC through its call centre No: 070-2255-3772 for necessary action.