FERMA partners police to tackle highway banditry

The Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) has partnered with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to ensure security on the highways across the country. The collaboration begins with the deployment of 90 police patrol vehicles and clearing of roadsides overgrown vegetation at identified black spots on the roads. Speaking during a joint inspection of identified black […]

The Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) has partnered with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to ensure security on the highways across the country.
The collaboration begins with the deployment of 90 police patrol vehicles and clearing of roadsides overgrown vegetation at identified black spots on the roads.
Speaking during a joint inspection of identified black spots on the Abuja-Lokoja highway at the weekend, the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase said the identified black spots have become a source of security concern to both FERMA and the police.
According to him, armed robbers and kidnappers always come out of the forest to rob and kidnap people.
He said he decided to seek the assistance of FERMA to see how they can open the black spots as part of our security measures to make the roads safe, saying that security cannot be left to police alone.
According to him, “As soon as this axis of the Lokoja-Abuja Highway is taken care of, we will face other black spots along Auchi-Iruekpe and Ehor Highways where hoodlums are also notorious, appealing to FERMA to intervene in those areas to also address the security challenges.
Also speaking, FERMA Managing Director Gabriel Amuchi said the collaboration is aimed at combating crime on the nation’s highways and aid better visibility by motorists.
“What is happening here is a very strong collaboration and because of these hoodlums, we need serious security presence and patrol.
“At the end of this clearing, we would improve visibility and sight scene so it is going to be a continuous relationship,” said Amuchi.