The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has urged Special Marshals of the Federal Road Safety Corps to adopt data-driven strategies, strengthen partnerships and improve professionalism to reduce road traffic crashes and save lives across Nigeria.
The Sultan made the call on Saturday through his representative, Aminu Bala Sokoto of the Sultanate Council, at the 2026 Special Marshals Zonal Conference of FRSC RS-10, held in Sokoto.
The conference, themed “Repositioning Special Marshals for Greater Impact Through Strategic Partnership and Data-Driven Road Safety Interventions,” brought together Special Marshals and stakeholders to discuss strategies for improving road safety advocacy and volunteer services.
The Sultan said Special Marshals must move beyond traditional volunteer activities and embrace a coordinated, proactive and results-oriented approach to addressing road safety challenges.
He stressed that effective collaboration among government agencies, transport unions, private organisations, schools, traditional rulers, religious leaders and community groups was essential to expanding public awareness and promoting compliance with traffic regulations.
“Strategic partnership involves working closely with government agencies, transport unions, private organisations, schools, traditional rulers, religious leaders and community groups to pool resources, share expertise and expand road safety awareness,” he said.
The monarch described road traffic crashes as a major concern because of their consequences, including loss of lives, injuries and economic hardship, adding that tackling the problem required collective responsibility and evidence-based action.
He said Special Marshals played important roles in public education, traffic management support, community engagement and emergency response but needed regular training, adequate safety equipment, motivation and a clear understanding of their responsibilities to perform effectively.
The Sultan also emphasised the importance of reliable data in identifying accident-prone locations, dangerous driving behaviours and vulnerable road users.
He urged Special Marshals to collect and report accurate road safety observations through approved FRSC channels to enable relevant authorities to identify high-risk areas and develop targeted interventions.
According to him, adopting digital reporting tools and GPS technology would improve communication, documentation and the deployment of road safety resources.
On accountability, the Sultan said the performance of Special Marshals should be assessed based on the quality of their activities, public awareness achievements, hazards reported and improvements in road safety practices.
He advocated standardised reporting procedures, continuous public enlightenment and recognition for volunteers who made outstanding contributions to road safety.
“Our success should not be measured merely by the number of campaigns we conduct but by the positive impact we make in protecting lives and preventing road traffic crashes,” he said.
The Sultan urged stakeholders to work together to build a safer road transport environment, stressing that road safety was a shared responsibility.
Similarly, the FRSC Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, represented by the Zonal Commanding Officer of RS-10, Assistant Corps Marshal Fredrick A. Ogidan, called for stronger partnerships and improved use of data to address emerging road safety challenges.
He identified population growth, increased vehicle ownership, urban expansion and changing road-user behaviour as factors requiring modern, evidence-based and technology-driven interventions.
“The responsibility of promoting road safety cannot be borne by the Federal Road Safety Corps alone,” he said.
He urged Special Marshals to strengthen collaboration with government institutions, transport operators, educational institutions, professional bodies, faith-based organisations and community leaders to improve road safety education, emergency response and post-crash care.
The Corps Marshal also encouraged members to improve data collection, documentation and reporting to ensure that interventions were guided by reliable information rather than assumptions.
“As community-based volunteers and road safety advocates, Special Marshals are uniquely positioned to support data collection, research activities, public feedback mechanisms and observational studies that contribute to evidence-based decision-making,” he said.
Mohammed further highlighted the 2025 Special Marshals Guidelines as an important framework for strengthening accountability, transparency, leadership development and coordination within the scheme.
He urged stakeholders to sustain capacity-building initiatives and provide the necessary support to enable volunteers to contribute more effectively to national road safety objectives.
He also commended Special Marshals for their sacrifices and contributions, noting that their volunteer services complemented the Corps’ efforts to protect lives on Nigerian roads.
Earlier, the Sokoto State Coordinator of Special Marshals, Sanusi Usman Wadata, said the conference provided an opportunity for members to renew their commitment to road safety through public enlightenment, stakeholder engagement and evidence-based interventions.
“Today is not merely a gathering, but a celebration of service, partnership and our shared commitment to saving lives on our roads,” Wadata said.
The National Coordinator of Special Marshals, Engineer Adaji Usman, whose message was delivered by Wadata, also urged members to remain dedicated to their volunteer responsibilities, particularly public enlightenment and traffic control.
The conference was attended by representatives of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Customs Service and Nigeria Immigration Service, as well as sector commanders and Special Marshals from Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states.
Honorary Special Marshals were also identified for decoration at a subsequent ceremony.