As the Ileya festival approaches, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has issued a strong warning to northerners transporting rams and cows alongside humans in the same vehicle.
The FRSC emphasized that any vehicle caught transporting both humans and animals, leading to overloading, will face serious consequences.
Anthony Uga, the commander of the Ogun State FRSC, made this known during an exclusive phone interview with Saving Point Media on Wednesday.
He highlighted the health risks associated with packing humans and animals together, noting that diseases can be easily transmitted from animals to humans in such conditions.
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Uga pointed out that it has become a habitual practice for some tribes to smuggle people alongside animals in the same trailer, resulting in overloading and increasing the risk of highway accidents.
He reiterated that the directive from the Federal Road Safety Corps to arrest trailers transporting both humans and animals remains in effect.
To raise awareness, Uga mentioned that there will be a mega rally in Ogere aimed at informing northern transporters that transporting animals, goods, and humans in an overloaded capacity is detrimental to road safety in Nigeria.
Additionally, the FRSC plans to conduct a rally at some animal depots in Abeokuta before the festival to address this issue.
Uga warned that anyone caught in the act will face severe penalties.
With the Ileya festival nearing, many northerners are bringing rams and cows from the North to sell.
Some also use this opportunity to visit their families and transport relatives back, leading to vehicle overloading.
Uga stressed the importance of adhering to safety regulations to prevent accidents and ensure the well-being of all road users.
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