A Magistrate Court sitting in the Wuse Judicial Division, Abuja, has convicted a 26-year-old motorist, Atada Victor, for dangerous driving, assaulting a Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Marshal and other traffic-related offences following an incident that left an officer seriously injured during a routine enforcement operation in the Federal Capital Territory.
According to an official signed statement by the Deputy Corps Commander of the FRSC, Osondu Ohaeri, the conviction underscores the Corps’ commitment to protecting its personnel and ensuring that acts of violence against law enforcement officers are met with appropriate legal sanctions.
The statement explained that the incident occurred at about 8:30 a.m. during a routine traffic enforcement operation when the offender, driving a vehicle with registration number RBC 398 DQ, was flagged down by an FRSC patrol team for a traffic violation.
Rather than complying with the lawful directive to stop, the driver allegedly accelerated, knocked down the arresting Road Marshal and rammed into the Corps’ patrol vehicle in an attempt to evade arrest.
The injured Marshal sustained severe injuries to the head, eye and other parts of the body and was immediately evacuated to the National Hospital, Abuja, where he is receiving treatment and remains under medical observation. The patrol vehicle also suffered extensive damage.
Following investigation and prosecution, the court found the offender guilty of dangerous driving, driver’s licence violation and assaulting an FRSC Marshal in the lawful discharge of his duties.
The court sentenced him to two weeks of community service and ordered him to pay ₦580,000 to the FRSC FCT Sector Command as compensation for the repair of the damaged patrol vehicle. He was also directed to pay ₦500,000 to cover the medical expenses incurred in treating the injured Marshal, bringing the total compensation to ₦1.08 million.
Reacting to the judgment, the Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, described the conviction as a strong warning that attacks on FRSC personnel and attempts to obstruct lawful enforcement operations would not be tolerated.
He stated that the judgment demonstrates that individuals who assault road safety personnel or violate traffic laws will face the full weight of the law, while reiterating that road traffic regulations are designed to protect all road users.
The Corps Marshal also urged motorists to cooperate with FRSC personnel by obeying traffic rules and complying with lawful directives during patrol and enforcement operations.
