By Bukola Olamona

The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Ondo State Command, has handed over items estimated at over N10 million to the families of road crash victims — a gesture that has attracted commendation for its transparency and integrity.

The crash, which occurred on March 23, happened near the Igbara-Oke checkpoint in Ifedore Local Government Area of the state.

It involved a commercial bus and a trailer, and was reportedly caused by speeding, resulting in a rear-end collision.

Speaking during the handover ceremony held at the FRSC office in Akure on Saturday, the Sector Commander, Dr Samuel Ibitoye, disclosed that the recovered goods — mainly textiles and other valuables — were being transported from Kano to Ibadan at the time of the crash.

Although no lives were lost, the bus driver and his assistant sustained serious injuries to their arms and legs.

The items were formally handed over to the Chairman of the Hummer Bus, Trailer and J5 Unit at Shasha, Akure, Mr Rabiu Subaru, who received them on behalf of the victims’ families.

Dr Ibitoye stressed the Corps’ zero-tolerance policy for tampering with accident victims’ belongings.

“Every item recovered is returned — nothing goes missing. That is the standard we uphold,” he said.

He seized the opportunity to caution commercial drivers, especially those embarking on long-distance journeys, against reckless driving.

“Overspeeding, overloading and fatigue are major killers. Rest when necessary, and don’t gamble with lives,” he warned.

In his remarks, Mr Subaru lauded the FRSC for its honesty, noting that officers not only safeguarded the goods but also rendered support to the injured.

“They stood by them from the crash scene to the hospital. No bribe, no demands. Every item was returned intact,” he stated.

He added that the injured victims were initially treated in Akure before being transferred to Gombe for further medical attention, with the FRSC stepping in to assist with hospital bills.