By Stanley Nwanosike

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has urged motorists to drive defensively in order to ensure safe and smooth journeys to their destination this yuletide.

The Zonal Coordinator of NEMA for South-East, Mr Thickman Tanimu, made the call on Friday at the Four-Corner Junction, along Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, near Enugu, while flagging off the “2022 Operation Eagle Eye”.

Tanimu said that NEMA has deployed a total of 25 personnel, five vehicles which included: one Mobile Intensive Care Unit (MICU) with life-saving equipment, stretchers and first aid as well as hydraulic extricating machines.

According to him, “when you drive, be conscious and be defensive even as you accommodate other road users since a successful journey is that which ends peacefully to a targeted destination.”

He also urged drivers to obey traffic signs and ensure that they drive under a controlled and acceptable speed limit that takes into account human built-up areas along the major expressways within the South-East.

The coordinator, who said that the operation would last from Dec. 23 to Jan. 3, said: “Our major aim is to ensure zero accident or incident on the major expressways within the South-East this yuletide.

“Motorists should drive carefully and not to be in a haste and throw caution to the wind.

“Motorists should exercise patience because a patience of three, four or five seconds can make a difference to ensure that a fatal accident does not happen.

“Please, do not claim right, if possible allow anyone in a great haste to have his way while ensuring that you arrive at your home peacefully and reunite with your families, relatives and friends awaiting you.”

He said that NEMA is collaborating with major Federal and state hospitals as well as private hospitals to provide quick medical services to accident victims, if any, without them needing monetary deposit in the first place.

Speaking, Sector Commander of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Enugu State, Mr Joseph Toby, lauded NEMA for supporting the corps in its mandate of ensuring safety on Nigerian roads.

Toby, represented by the Unit Commander of Ozalla Unit Command, Mrs Petronilla Udeinya, said that the collaboration of FRSC with other agencies/organizations is imperative to ensure a robust operation meant to ensure safety of road users.

“As the lead agency on road safety and rescue, we are appreciative of NEMA’s support all these years and our collaboration has been yielding great successes.

“We are on the road 24 hours this yuletide to ensure free flow of traffic, zero accidents and attend to any rescue/emergency situation as motorists use the various road corridors within the country,” he noted.

Operation Eagle Eye would cover Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway; Enugu-9th Mile Expressway; Enugu-Abakaliki Expressway; Enugu-Onitsha Expressway and Nike Lake Road to Obollor-Afor Road axis of Enugu State. (NAN)