By: Abdullahi Inuwa
For thousands of families in Katsina State, the difference between grief and gratitude in 2025 often came down to a reflective jacket on the roadside, a whistle at a junction, or a timely rescue call answered in minutes.
That human story sat at the heart of the end-of-year review granted by the Katsina Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), where the Command opened its books on 2024 and 2025—and revealed quieter but meaningful progress.
The numbers tell one story: fewer offenders, fewer offences, fewer crashes and fewer lives lost in 2025 than in the previous year. But behind those statistics are drivers who slowed down after hearing a sermon on speed limits, commercial operators who avoided overloading after a town-hall warning, and crash victims who lived because help arrived faster.
Corps Commander Maxwell Kaltungo Lede described 2025 as a year when road safety stopped being just an enforcement issue and became a community conversation. “We took safety beyond the motor parks,” he explained. “Into mosques, churches, markets and villages—where everyday decisions about travel are actually made.”
The Command’s strategy blended firm enforcement with human engagement. Patrols became smarter and more intelligence-driven, focusing on high-risk corridors. Media partnerships kept safety messages alive on air and online. Stakeholder meetings, rallies and motorcades—especially during the ember months—targeted familiar killers on Nigerian roads: speeding, mix-loading, worn-out vehicles and reckless overtaking.
Yet the review was not self-congratulatory. While deaths declined, injuries and the number of people involved in crashes rose, a reminder that progress remains fragile. “It means we must talk more, warn more and act earlier,” the Sector Commander noted.
As the calendar turns, FRSC officers are still on the highways. The Operation Zero Tolerance Yuletide Patrol runs until 15 January 2026, covering the second rush of travellers returning after the holidays. According to Commander Lede, this period is often as dangerous as Christmas itself—and the Command is already positioned to respond.
In the year ahead, the Katsina Sector Command says its mission is simple and personal: fewer sirens, fewer funerals, and more people arriving home safely. If 2025 proved anything, it is that road safety works best when it speaks the language of the people it is meant to protect.
