The recent passage of a bill in Nigeria’s House of Representatives for the establishment of a special armed squad for the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) is needless.

Development Diaries reports that the bill, which recently passed a second reading, seeks to amend the FRSC Act, 2007 to establish the FRSC Special Armed Squad.

While the bill, sponsored by lawmakers Abiodun Adesida and Olaide Muhammed, aims to empower the FRSC with greater control over road traffic administration and safety management, the introduction of firearms to road safety officers may increase the risk of intimidation and excessive use of force.

In a country like Nigeria, where police brutality and abuse by other armed forces are already a deep-rooted issue, arming FRSC officers could worsen an already fragile trust between citizens and law enforcement.

Introducing firearms to the FRSC could transform what is supposed to be routine traffic stops into dangerous confrontations.

According to World Justice Project Rule of Law Index (2022), Nigeria ranked 124 out of 140 countries for fundamental rights, which includes abuses of state authority like police brutality.

Also, Global Rights reported 164 documented incidents of extrajudicial killings by Nigerian security forces, including the police, in 2021 alone.

Granting similar powers to the FRSC may lead to a duplication of such abuses on the highways, as these officers, traditionally seen as enforcers of road safety, become associated with the same concerns surrounding armed forces.

Furthermore, the lives of road users and FRSC officials themselves may be jeopardised, as people may react fearfully or aggressively towards armed officers.

A more effective solution to improving the safety of FRSC officers would be to increase collaboration with the Nigerian police, who are already trained and equipped with firearms to handle violent situations.

Through enhanced coordination, police officers could provide backup for FRSC personnel when necessary, without the need for road safety officers to carry firearms.

This approach could ensure that minor traffic incidents do not spiral into violent encounters, while still addressing the need for officer safety.

Development Diaries calls on the House of Representatives to step down the bill, and instead opt for a more measured approach, focused on the FRSC collaborating with the police for more effective enforcement of road traffic offence.

Photo source: FRSC