Convoys Conveying Death by Odiawa Ai

For quite a long time, convoys attached to government officials have ridden roughshod on citizens, prompting lethal road mishaps and injuries. In a fresh instance of this, a convoy allegedly attached to a former member of the Edo State House of Assembly, Emmanuel Agbaje, recently knocked down a commercial motorcycle, killing the rider and passengers. This happened at Ikpeshi community, Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State. These are unnecessary fatalities. Public officials ought to figure out how to act reasonably, and their wild impunity must be checked.

More awful, after the occurrence, perturbed youths in the locale went after the law enforcement agents, leading to the death of two of the police officers appended to the convoy. Two others were likewise injured. This is lamentable and wrong. Truly, two wrongs do not make a right. It is lawlessness to assault state agents. Nigerian youths ought to put in check their resort to savageness, even in the face of incitement.

Sadly, the menace of reckless convoys has persisted without respite. In May and December 2023, two deadly occurrences took place at Abakaliki, the capital of Ebonyi State, connected to these convoys. In the one, three individuals lost their lives rashly. The second episode saw the life of a 100-level student of the Ebonyi State University and his motorcycle rider cut short.

In December 2022, a Toyota Hilux conveying vigilantes in a convoy appended to the Adamawa State Lead Representative, Adamu Fintiri, who was on a campaign trail, crashed while heading to Mubi from the state capital, Yola. Three officials died in the accident.

In Nigeria, government convoys are famous for blatant impunity. Intoxicated with power, the security agents in these convoys constitute a horrible irritation. They bully other road users, drive against traffic, blast sirens without any need, and knock down commuters. They do not comply with the speed limit. At the point when they are out and about, they stop others from moving by locking down the area. This is a niggling distress to citizens.

A glaring example was during the visit of Bola Tinubu to Lagos in June 2023 to celebrate his memorable visit to his home state, Lagos, as President. There were about 120 vehicles in his convoy. At a second visit to the state in December, he scaled it down to about 57 vehicles following prior criticism of ostentation in spite of the decrepit economic state of the nation.

Essentially, such intensely guarded convoys are unnecessary. In a time of economic wretchedness, they add significantly to the cost of governance. For the President and state Lead Representatives, it is an indication that they are carrying on with a misleading life as the economy is battered.

Although the National Road Traffic Regulation 2012 (Section 154) limits the utilization of sirens to the President, the deputy and 79 others, top public officials, VIPs, and wealthy businesspersons, have kept on disregarding the law with the aid of the police.

Conversely, Babatunde Fashola cut an image of decency as Lead Representative of Lagos (2011-2019). He went about without convoys and sirens, however he additionally prohibited his commissioners and officials and bullion vans from doing so. This ingrained relative tranquility on Lagos roads. Others ought to emulate him.

Studies have proven that nations like the United Kingdom (UK), the United States (US), Canada, and Australia have stringently enforced regulations directing the use of sirens. India’s Supreme Court once voted down the use of sirens and flashlights by VIPs. In these decent climes, sirens and flashlights are an indication of emergencies. It ought to likewise be the case in Nigeria.

Nigerians, in joint efforts with pressure groups and NGOs, ought to unite and insist on the execution of the guardrails against the deployment of sirens and protest the reckless convoys of death until public officials make a fresh start.