FRSC Withdraws from Edo LG Election Operations, Cites Absence of Official Invitation

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has announced that it will not participate in operational activities during the forthcoming local government elections in Edo State, citing the absence of a formal request from the relevant electoral authorities.

The clarification was issued by the Edo State Sector Command of the FRSC following public speculation that the agency would be deployed to support traffic control and election logistics across the state during the council polls.

According to the command, the corps was neither invited nor formally engaged by the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) or other coordinating bodies responsible for election operations. As a result, FRSC personnel will not be mobilized specifically for the exercise.

In its statement, the corps emphasized that participation in election-related duties is typically based on official requests and inter-agency coordination mechanisms. Without such communication, the command said it has no mandate to deploy officers for election operations.

“The Federal Road Safety Corps was not invited for operational participation in the Edo local government election. Consequently, the command will not be involved in the exercise,” the statement said.

FRSC also clarified that its regular statutory duties, including highway patrol, road safety enforcement, rescue services and traffic management on federal roads, will continue as normal throughout the election period.

The development means traffic management responsibilities around polling areas and collation centres may fall more heavily on other security and emergency agencies participating in the election operation.

Local government elections in Edo State are expected to involve significant movement of electoral officials, party agents, voters and election materials across the state’s 18 local government areas.

Analysts say agencies such as the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and state emergency services may need to coordinate more closely to manage transportation and crowd movement during the exercise.

The Edo State Independent Electoral Commission has been preparing for the conduct of council elections aimed at filling chairmanship and councillorship positions across the state.

Election observers have continued to monitor preparations closely amid concerns over logistics, security arrangements and voter turnout. The absence of FRSC participation is not expected to halt the polls, but it highlights the importance of formal inter-agency planning in election management.

Despite its non-participation in the election operation, the FRSC assured residents that emergency response teams and patrol units remain on standby to respond to road crashes and other traffic-related incidents during the election period.

The corps urged motorists and road users to obey traffic regulations, avoid reckless driving and cooperate with security agencies as movement increases across Edo State on election day.