……….Partners Stakeholders on 2025 Ember Months Campaign.
FIC Report (Abia State) – The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Abia State Command, has announced a decline in Road Traffic Crashes (RTCs) and fatalities in 2025 compared to the 2024 figures, attributing the feat to concerted efforts by the Corps, the State Government, security agencies, and other key stakeholders.
Sector Commander of the Abia State FRSC, Ngozi Ezeoma, made this known in Umuahia during a town hall meeting of stakeholders for the 2025 Ember Months campaign, themed around collective responsibility and sustained safety awareness.
Ezeoma disclosed that the reduction was achieved through continuous sensitization, education, and enforcement of road traffic regulations across key corridors in the state.
“The numbers recorded so far are sobering and underscore the urgent need for sustained intervention and shared commitment,” she said, noting that the FRSC’s 2025 Corporate Strategic Goal No. 1 is to achieve a 10% reduction in road traffic fatalities and injuries through focused interventions.
She further revealed that the Ember Months public enlightenment campaign will be launched in motor parks, churches, mosques, and marketplaces, utilizing indigenous languages and repetitive messaging for greater impact.
According to her, mobile courts will be deployed to swiftly prosecute traffic offenders, while driver re-certification and pre-trip vehicle inspections will be conducted in partnership with transport unions and other stakeholders.
Ezeoma urged motorists and road users to shun over-speeding, overloading, drunk driving, and other dangerous practices that endanger lives, adding that safety on the roads is a shared responsibility.
“Let our collective resolve translate into action on the streets, in our communities, and within our institutions. The success of this meeting depends on what each of us does after today,” she emphasized.
Delivering a lecture during the meeting, the Sector Public Education Officer, J.K. Igbonekwu, dismissed the myth that road accidents during Ember Months are caused by “blood-sucking demons.” He attributed such incidents instead to human recklessness, negligence, and disregard for safety rules.
Also speaking, the Abia State Commissioner for Transport, Dr. Chimezie Ukaegbu, cautioned motorists against endangering their lives and those of their passengers as the festive season approaches.
Dr. Ukaegbu, who was a guest at the event, urged all road users to cultivate a culture of safety, responsibility, and awareness, stressing that road safety is a shared duty and not the sole responsibility of government or enforcement agencies.
“Everyone who uses, the road whether a driver, pedestrian, cyclist, or passenger plays a role.
Drivers must obey speed limits, avoid distractions, and never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Passengers and pedestrians must also encourage safe behavior and obey traffic signals,” he said.
He further advised motorists to carry out regular vehicle checks, avoid impatience on the road, and always wear seatbelts, adding that simple precautions could save countless lives.
“The good news is that promoting road safety doesn’t require superhuman effort — just commitment to simple acts of caution and care,” the Commissioner added.
Dr. Ukaegbu reaffirmed that the State Ministry of Transport would continue to partner with the FRSC in life-saving campaigns and public awareness programmes.
Delivering a goodwill message, Lady Gloria Ify Abiakam, Chairman of the Association of Heads of Federal Establishments, commended the FRSC and its leadership for their sustained dedication to saving lives across Nigeria’s highways.
“This gathering reminds us that road safety is not merely a duty but a shared responsibility — one that calls upon our collective conscience to protect the sanctity of human life,” she said.
Lady Abiakam reaffirmed the commitment of the Federal Community to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the FRSC in its mission to ensure that every journey ends in safety, joy, and reunion.
“In times like the Ember Months, when the roads grow busier and risks heighten, may we remember that every life matters, every caution counts, and every act of responsibility saves a family from tears,” she noted.
She praised the FRSC leadership and officers for their tireless service, describing their work as “humanity in action.”
“May this town hall ignite renewed awareness, deeper collaboration, and stronger resolve toward achieving safer roads and fuller lives for all.
Together, we can make our roads not just pathways of travel, but highways of hope,” she concluded.
The event brought together representatives from transport unions, religious organizations, civil society, and the media , all united by a shared commitment to make Abia roads safer, especially during the high-risk Ember Months.
Signed
Abiakam Gloria Ify
HOC, FIC Umuahia Abia State.
October 15,2025.
