The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Akwa Ibom Command, on Wednesday said that it would auction all unclaimed vehicles in its custody.

In a statement issued by Mr Paul James, the command’s Public Enlightenment / Public Relations Officer said that all vehicles impounded within the last six months and unclaimed would soon be auctioned.

James said the corps reserved the right to invoke relevant sections of the law to auction any impounded vehicles not claimed after six months.

He said traffic offenders offered with offence sheets and their documents confiscated and vehicles impounded should claim their vehicles or be auctioned.

“Consequently, traffic offenders who are issued with notice of offence sheet, either have their documents confiscated or vehicles impounded to secure payment of their fine or prosecution as the case may be.

“Unfortunately, people tend to forget the fact that any unclaimed impounded vehicle that have exceeded six months in FRSC custody, the Corps shall invoke the relevant sections of the law to dispose of the unclaimed vehicles by auction.

“However, this serves as reminder to the general public that the provisions of the extant regulations backing FRSC to carry out such obligations as contained in section 10 (5) (b) & (h) and section 10 (b) of the (Establishment) Act, 2007 which stipulates that.

“In the discharge of the functions of the Corps by or under this Act and notwithstanding the provision of section 18 (1) of the Act, a member of the Corps shall have power to impound any vehicle by which any offence under this Act is reasonably suspected to have been committed.

“Provided that if the driver or owner of the vehicle fails to reclaim such vehicle within six months of the date of its detention.

“The Corps may apply to the High Court for an order forfeiting the vehicle to the Corps, which may thereafter, dispose of the vehicle by public auction and deposit the proceed of the sale into the Government treasury,” James said.

He said that the FRSC was the statutory agency responsible for traffic management, preventing and minimising road traffic crashes on the highways.

He urged the general public to adhere to all traffic rules and regulations aimed at ensuring a safe motoring environment and ease of doing business in the state and the nation in general.

TodayNG