The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has revealed that no fewer than 120 of its officers were killed in the line of duty in 2025, largely due to reckless driving and road user indiscipline across the country.
Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja while briefing journalists on the outcome of Operation Zero and the Corps’ overall performance for 2025.
He described the deaths of the officers as “tragic and unacceptable,” noting that personnel tasked with enforcing traffic regulations are increasingly becoming victims of the same offences they seek to prevent.
According to the Corps Marshal, an analysis of crash data covering the period between December 15, 2025 and January 15, 2026, showed a rise in road traffic crashes during the festive season.
He said the total number of crashes increased from 665 in the 2024/2025 festive period to 687 in 2025/2026, representing a 3.4 per cent rise.
Fatalities also climbed from 571 to 597, while the number of injured persons rose from 2,462 to 2,522. The total number of people involved in crashes increased from 5,761 to 5,942 within the same period.
Despite the rise in crashes and fatalities, Mohammed noted an improvement in rescue operations. He said 2,792 victims were rescued without injury, compared to 2,697 recorded in the previous festive season.
He attributed the improvement to enhanced emergency response strategies and more coordinated rescue efforts by the Corps.
The Corps Marshal further revealed that the most severe crashes occurred along major interstate corridors. He listed the worst-hit routes as Zuba–Kaduna–Zaria with 39 deaths, Jos–Bauchi/Gombe–Bauchi–Darazo–Potiskum with 49 deaths, Abuja–Lokoja with 28 deaths, Benin–Asaba–Awka with 12 deaths, and Mai Adua–Daura–Kazaure–Dambata with 18 deaths.
He explained that the majority of the crashes were caused by speeding, dangerous overtaking, loss of control, tyre bursts and brake failure.
“Speed remains the single greatest killer on Nigerian roads,” Mohammed said, adding that speed violations alone accounted for 41 per cent of identified crash causes in December 2025.
He warned that the same reckless driving habits have also led to the deaths of FRSC officers working along highways nationwide.
Enforcement statistics from the festive operation showed that the number of offenders apprehended rose from 28,170 to 29,317, while offences booked increased from 31,829 to 33,190.
He added that through intensified mobile court operations, 1,276 offenders were arraigned, with 1,105 convicted during the period.
