The Cross River State Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has declared a crackdown on road traffic offenders, revealing that 48 road users were arrested in the past month for attempting to bribe Road Marshals on duty.
State Sector Commander Innocent Etuk disclosed the figures in Calabar, adding that a further 129 road users, mostly commercial drivers were nabbed for driver’s licence violations, while 16 were arrested for overloading within the same period. He confirmed that a Mobile Court had already convicted 12 people for attempted bribery on July 29, 2025.
Etuk issued a stern warning that over 75 percent of drivers in the state do not have valid licences and would face prosecution. He vowed that no amount of intimidation or protest from offenders would deter the Corps from enforcing the law without fear or favour.
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The commander’s remarks came after a dramatic protest at the FRSC gate in Calabar by market women, who were angered by the seizure of a bus loaded with perishable goods at Odukpani Junction. The vehicle, coming from Northern Cross River, was impounded for overloading, lack of a valid driver’s licence, and attempted bribery.
The driver, identified as Okoro Demian, was transporting peppers, garden eggs, and other food items when he was stopped. His driver’s licence had reportedly expired in 2021, and he admitted to committing the offences during interrogation. The owners of the goods pleaded for his release and demanded that their produce, held at the command station since morning, be returned.
Police were called to manage the protest, as chanting traders demanded the release of both the driver and the vehicle. Commander Etuk addressed the crowd, explaining the offences committed and reiterating that no act of defiance would pressure the Corps into abandoning its duties.
