The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has described the life imprisonment sentence handed to a truck driver, Okpara Kingsley Onyekachi, for killing an FRSC marshal on duty, as a landmark victory for justice and road safety enforcement in Nigeria.
According to a statement on Thursday by the spokesperson of the Corps, Olusegun Ogungbemide, the conviction was delivered on Tuesday, January 14, 2026, by the High Court of Lagos State (TBS Division) in Suit No. LD/24692C/2024 – The State v. Okpara Kingsley Onyekachi, following a fatal road crash that claimed the life of Deputy Chief Road Marshal Assistant Ajomale.
The incident occurred on November 16, 2023, at Orile-Iganmu, Lagos, during a routine traffic enforcement exercise by an FRSC patrol team. Investigations revealed that the defendant, who was driving a 40-foot container-laden truck at excessive speed, rammed into a stationary mini truck that had been flagged down for inspection.
The impact fatally injured Ajomale, who was lawfully performing his duties at the time. The court found the driver’s actions grossly negligent and reckless, rejected claims that the incident was accidental, and convicted him of involuntary manslaughter. He was subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment under the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Reacting to the judgment, the Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Shehu Mohammed, said the verdict sends a clear and unmistakable message that reckless driving, particularly by operators of heavy-duty vehicles, will no longer be tolerated on Nigerian roads.
“When a life is lost due to gross negligence, especially the life of an officer on lawful duty, the law will take its full course. The Corps will continue to pursue justice relentlessly for every fallen officer and every innocent road user,” he said.
The Corps Marshal added that the FRSC would intensify enforcement, strengthen prosecution support and deepen stakeholder collaboration to curb dangerous driving behaviours nationwide. He warned that drivers who flout traffic regulations and endanger lives should expect severe legal consequences.
The FRSC said the entire management and staff of the Corps honour the memory of DCRMA Ajomale, describing his death as a solemn reminder of the risks faced daily by road safety personnel in the line of duty.
