‘Crazy’ racers screech back to Abuja …How spectators attacked FRSC, Police
Mr. S.M Ajayi, Head of Operations of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) was at the scene of one of the now-infamous races recently with some of his men but was stopped by spectators who also prevented them from making any arrests. That makes it the third time the FRSC and other security agencies would […]
Mr. S.M Ajayi, Head of Operations of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) was at the scene of one of the now-infamous races recently with some of his men but was stopped by spectators who also prevented them from making any arrests. That makes it the third time the FRSC and other security agencies would be stopped from arresting the racers who have continued to defy bans, despite authorities citing dangers not only on the lives of the car racers themselves but spectators who stand on sidewalks as cars skid along and sometimes make sudden and unexpected turns. There have been reported cases of injuries on spectators in the past and cases where car racers teetered close to death, as crashes occur frequently.
One of the teenagers who attacked the FRSC men refused to give his name, but told Weekly Trust that he and his friends would do it again in a heartbeat. “Na black belle,” he yelled in Pidgin English, complaining that government always wants to sabotage enterprising young Nigerians. “If they disturb us again, it’ll be nasty,” he says, jumping into his 1986 Honda Accord, shirtless and angry.
Omowunmi, 18, simply said: “I’m coming here next week, no matter what.”
The car races started as a pastime before authorities sounded the alarm on safety issues. Now it has degenerated into hooliganism of sorts, where teens, mostly from affluent homes, dare the authorities. The racers’ stunts as they roughen exotic cars most Nigerians can never hope to afford, raises moral questions among residents who worry about the careless abandon with which they damage property and endanger other lives.
Even law enforcement agencies know that they are navigating a landmine in this area, so even though they issue tough warnings, they are usually cautious in wielding the big stick. “Our major concern is the safety of lives, both that of the spectators, the racers as well as other road users and pedestrians and that is why we are always concerned when such an event is going on,” says Ajayi of the FRSC. “It is however not true that the spectators overpowered our team last week. What happened was the fact that we are concerned about saving lives, there was no point fighting to make arrests, so we thought it wise to retreat and re-strategize alongside other security agencies to handle the situation. That we did perfectly and we were able to arrest some of the people who threw stones at our team.”
The races, Weekly Trust was told by enthusiasts, in the beginning were carried out mostly by teenagers. But now, they have become so addictive that adults are also jumping into the fray, even spawning the name ‘Crazy Racers’.
Emeka Okoye, a 40-year-old banker pulled up by the kerb near Ceddi Plaza, one of the hot spots of the races, in a shiny, recent model of Toyota Camry and while he looked exhausted, he was smiling ear to ear. “Only people who race cars will understand the adrenaline rush that comes with this,” he says of a just-concluded lap, in which he came fourth, losing to another car full of teens.
“But what I can’t understand is the whole ban thing,” Okoye says. “Who, if not barbarians, would ban recreation in a supposedly modern capital city?”
Okoye touches on a sore point about the absence of proper recreation in a city of Abuja’s standard, something which the authorities are usually evasive about discussing. Even though the FCT has created parks which are designated green zones in neighbourhoods where residents could relax, most of the parks have over time turned to drinking spots, hardly places where families could visit on a weekend.
Lami Wendy, a spectator, says even though she supported the FCT’s ban, the races held an odd attraction for her. “I wouldn’t let my family or friends do this, but I must confess that I like to watch,” she says, “but maybe instead of a ban, an area with well-made roads should be earmarked for the racers.” She adds that it could even serve as a money-spinner for the FCT Administration. Other spectators who throng the races share her views, arguing that the FCT administration could also tap into the popularity of the activity and provide safe places for the car racers to entertain residents and generate revenue from tickets sales.
When asked if the authorities will heed the demands of spectators, FRSC’s Ajayi says, “First and foremost, the races have been declared illegal by the FCT authority, hence the arrests and clamping down.” Though, he says, if the racers want a designated area, it is a different story altogether. “But for now, it is absolutely illegal in all definitions. We don’t and cannot give such license, ours is to maintain safety on the Nigerian roads,” he told Weekly Trust.
The Chief Press Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) said the ban on the stunt races still stands and the FCTA is not going back on their decision. “It is the responsibility of the FCTA to protect lives and property within its jurisdiction. We expect that the FCT Police and the FRSC will ensure that the ban is fully implemented,” he says.
Ajayi says they have identified three major spots that the illegal racers used within the city centre. He says the three main places are the National Mosque area, Ceddi Plaza and a stretch of road near National Insurance Plaza. “Whenever the authorities clamp down on them in one spot, they quickly switch to another, like a cat-and-mouse game,” he says. “We are always careful in approaching the racers, as we wouldn’t want a situation where innocent people get harmed in the process.”
On Wednesday, the FRSC arrested 12 youths in connection with the illegal racing and impounded six cars. The commission says that henceforth it will also arrest and prosecute spectators alongside car racers whenever it carries out raids. Ajayi says the racers are usually from influential homes and usually under the influence of drugs.
The recent ban will be following several others made in the past, with no effect. The entry requirement, which allows the use of less exotic cars, too, also encourages others to join in. Selecting a section of the road, the racers operate without clear rules or concern for safety as what is at stake is the adrenaline rush that follows while spectators cheer on, providing encouragement. “We have a strategy for dealing with the situation,” says Ajayi. Whether this new approach will prove to be any different from those in the past, is something that remains to be seen.