Indiscriminate use of sirens has continued to defy ban despite repeated attempts. ELEOJO IDACHABA in this piece writes on how the abuse causes chaos in the country’s major cities.
Indiscriminate use and abuse of sirens in Nigeria has for long been a concern to the citizens, particularly those living in the cities. Back in 2009, then Inspector General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, frowned on the abuse and subsequently read out a police Act stipulating those privileged persons to use sirens. However, 19 years later, it is business as usual.
The most annoying aspect of it all is the fact that successive Inspectors-General of Police have been speaking with anger about this arbitrariness, but sanctions are not meted out to violators.
To violators, therefore, such orders are nothing but a semblance of a barking toothless bulldog; so they have continued to indulge in the act to the chagrin of motorists that are usually at the receiving end of the menace.
In 2009, angered by the arbitrary use of sirens in the urban centres, the House of Representatives proposed a bill to tame the madness, but the bill never saw the light of the day. A close study of the bill shows that it sought to amend the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Act 2007, to regulate the use of sirens, flashes and beacons in Nigeria and recommend punishment for offenders. It also made provision for only the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the vice president, Senate president, deputy Senate president, speaker of the House of Representatives and his deputy, Chief Justice of the Federation, state governors and their deputies as the only persons with permission to use public siren except in situations of emergency.
Blueprint Weekend’s investigations have shown that the intention of both the police and House of Representatives were in line with public order considering the nuisance such cacophonous noise causes in the major cities.
Another important part of this bill was that it forbade the wife of the president, governors, deputy governors and ministers from using sirens. Also, Service Chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police were to be banned.
Following the death of that bill, every influential private citizen including foreigners and every privileged public servant are seen these days going about with sirens as if to say a ‘big man’ is on the way. Oddly too, many of them who ordinarily can afford security aides do so with a retinue of policemen attached to them.
Even with those permitted to use the sirens, it has been tales of unpleasantness as many road users have had nasty experiences with overzealous security men in various convoys. A lot has been sent to their early graves in the process of making way for the convoy of such personalities thereby resulting in fatal accidents.
Analysts are of the opinion that the perennial orders banning indiscriminate use of sirens are similar to the directives about withdrawing police personnel from some high-profile personalities all over the country, but soon after such directives are given, it becomes business as usual.
Nigerians’ angst
While seeking an end to what he called madness on the roads, Barrister Edward Omaga, the national president of Global Integrity Crusade Network, said, “We urge the National Assembly to revisit the bill seeking to ban indiscriminate use of sirens on the roads and highways with a view to pursuing it to its logical conclusion. Those who kill or maim innocent road users on account of getting free passage should be sanctioned for contributing to the high fatalities on our roads. Many of them are operating largely from public funds to terrorise innocent people.”
On her part, Mariam Mohammed Maktoub, a publisher and PR consultant, said the wailing convoys of the ‘big men,’ especially those of governors, leaves one with gut-wrenching anger.
She said, “It seems despite several avowals by the police and Federal Road Safety Corps that the bawling of the meaningless long windy convoys of ‘big men’ authorised or otherwise, would be long in stopping. There is not an hour that goes by that one is not rudely assaulted by the blaring sirens of a convoy somewhere in the capital city of Abuja and other major cities.
“Besides the social nuisance of these offensive siren-shrieking convoys, the sheer public expenditure is mind-boggling. For a country with almost 100 million facing extreme poverty, cutting down the cost of a convoy without a doubt will build over 10 boreholes every month in our rural communities in each of the 36 states. But if these governors were to reduce the number of the vehicles in their convoy, how would mere mortals on the road know that an overlord is passing?
“The unceasing whining of the sirens and the dangerous manoeuvres are not only migraine-inducing but recipes for psychological torture by people who ordinarily ought to be role models to other road users.”
Speaking further she said, “It has become urgent and imperative that the police and the lead safety agency, FRSC, take seriously the National Road Traffic Regulation (NRTR) 2012. The guideline is aimed at eradicating road abuses such as the use of sirens. For the avoidance of doubt, while Section 154 (Part XIV), lists 79 Nigerians as being entitled to the use of sirens. Beside the president, his deputy, the Senate president, the speaker of the House of Representatives and their deputies, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the 36 state governors and their deputies as those permitted to use sirens; it does not envisage the madding crowd that is obtainable today.”
She said while one maybe righteously angry over the wanton siren use by governors in their respective states, it is a sheer indignation that even Abuja, the nation’s capital, is not spared the wanton anomaly by some governors.
“You are not the governor of Abuja; you are not the minister of Abuja to exhibit such temerity. In case these ones are unaware, the Minister of the FCT, the landlord himself, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, uses just a three-vehicle convoy without sirens blaring. If the minister of the territory does not live under the pretensions of the ‘big man’ of siren wailing, why should a visitor like every other Nigerian who does not reside in Abuja upend the peace of the tranquil city? Why must you for the sake of being a governor engage in such malicious rascality?”
WHO’s report
Over seven years ago, the World Health Organisation (WHO) noted that at 162 deaths per 100, 000kms, Nigeria ranks among the countries of the world with the highest road accidents and that one of the factors responsible for that is the rate of road accidents involving convoys and sirens of top government officials which have claimed scores of lives.
Who’s to blame?
For a long time now, the FRSC has repeatedly reiterated its resolve to implement the relevant laws relating to the abuse of sirens and other road traffic infractions. Analysts are however of the views that it would take more than mere rhetoric to restore sanity to Nigeria’s chaotic roads.
According to the FRSC, in reaction to the madness on the roads, it stated that, “We have seen a lot of people abusing the use of convoys and we have taken it up with the appropriate authority, we would take more drastic actions.”
The Corps listed criminals and unionists among some unauthorised persons who fragrantly abuse the use of siren in the country, saying with their sirens, they compound the woes of the people by driving against the traffic.
“It is agonising that some of those who engage in these acts are not entitled by law to sirens and escorts,” the statement read in part.
According to the Punch editorial of June 19 2019, “FRSC’s statement that it would soon start enforcement and prosecution of offenders, which put the blame mainly on the doorsteps of the convoys and sirens of those who are not government officials but private individuals, who are unauthorised to use convoys or sirens in the country is indicative of its powerlessness. The FRSC misses the point, to say the least.”
The editorial further read, “The abuse is also extensively perpetrated by the uniformed services like the police, military, immigration service, customs and correctional services. Therefore, to make its intention count, the FRSC has to look inwards first. After taming the monster in the ranks of the security agencies, it will be far easier to whip the private individuals into line.”
Dr. L. I. Okoroji of the Transport Management Technology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, in his view said, “Siren is a device that makes a loud prolonged signal or warning sound use on road alerting the environment, to warn other drivers and pedestrians of the approach of an emergency vehicle and request the right-of-way. This is used by the authorised users on the road traffic such as state institutions and government officials (the president, vice president, governors and their deputies, Senate president, deputy, speaker of House of Representatives, hospital ambulances, security companies and bullion vans.
“It must be operated in order to meet the legal definition of that emergency that occurred according to the provision of the law. It has been observed that the misuse of siren by both authorised and unauthorised persons has become a nuisance to law-abiding citizens, through madness of blaring sirens indiscriminately by the privileged government officials, police force and wealthy people, even criminals.
“People are very upset by this bullying approach in situations like stuck traffic. Seeing the repeated abuse of this privilege in order to get out of traffic without obeying the rules have made some people to block the way of passage as a way of showing their disapproval which ultimately leads to further gridlock.
“It is common sight today on our road to see motorists meandering their ways through traffic with the aid of this unlawful use of sirens; hence, in the process to beat traffic or to avoid following the queues it causes traffic congestion and inconvenience to other road users.
“This flow of traffic with sirens upset public peace in the major cities of the country today. Even the rural areas are not even safe as far as sirens illegal use is concerned as it causes major noise pollution which on the other hand causes disorderliness and commotion as seen on expressways. At times, these unlawful siren users cause road accidents as they usually infringe other motorists and pedestrians and break traffic laws at will.
“Standard measures need to be taken in order to stop this unwanted act on our road traffic today. All the vehicles on the road must be abided by the road traffic rules and regulation except when on emergency for the emergency vehicles by the rules governing them; hence, some precautions need to be taken.”
Femi Falana’s take
According to legal luminary Mr. Femi Falana, there are enough legal documents in the country against traffic abuse and other related crimes.
“The National Road Traffic Regulation 2012 is aimed at eradicating this kind of abuse. In Section 154, it listed some categories of Nigerians entitled to the use of sirens. Beside the president, his deputy, the Senate president, the speaker of the House of Representatives and their deputies and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the 36 state governors and their deputies are the only persons permitted to use sirens,” he said.
