Rev. Fr Anthony Thompson, the Catholic priest in charge of Saints Peter and Paul Parish, Tedi Ojo Lagos, on Sunday advised people travelling for the festive season to avoid night travels.
Rev. Fr Thompson urged travellers to heed the advice in the interest of their safety.
Thompson was speaking at a thanksgiving Mass to thank God for preserving the lives of two parishioners, Mr Ikechukwu Amadi and Mr Kelechi Okeke, who ran into armed robbers at the J-Five end of Lagos-Ijebu-Ode Expressway, where their bus was attacked.
The duo was on a night trip back to Lagos from a business engagement in Aba.
Recall that the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has also been cautioning against night journeys to avoid road incidents.
“This is the season of inter state and regional travels for the Christmas and new year celebration.
“I want to use this opportunity to appeal to us to do away with travelling during the night and avoid avoidable road incidents capable of cutting one’s life short,” the cleric said.
He thanked God for sparing the lives of the brothers in the attack.
Speaking on the incident after the Mass, Okeke disclosed that it happened on Oct. 18.
He said that he lost N700,000 and other personal effects to the robbers, but thanked God for sparing his life.
Yuletide: FRSC says attitudinal change by motorists will stem crashes
Meanwhile, the Ogun Command of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has emphasized the need for road users to change their attitudes to stem crashes, especially on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
Mr Anthony Uga, the FRSC Sector Commander in Ogun, stated this in an interview on Sunday in Ota, Ogun, following the death of 16 persons in three separate accidents within six days along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The FRSC appealed to motorists to change their attitude, adding “if you are fatigued while driving from a long distance, why don’t you park and rest.
“In addition, motorists should desist from traveling at night and reduce their speed to reduce carnage on the highway,” he said.
The FRSC enjoined passenger to caution any erring driver, saying passengers could even call the FRSC toll line to give the details of vehicles so that such vehicle could be apprehended.
Uga said that they had embarked on sensitisation at motor stations to educate drivers to desist from driving under the influence of intoxicating substances to stem crashes.
He admonished motorists plying the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to be cautious because of the rehabilitation of the road.