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Ukanafun Professionals’ Association, popularly called UK-PRO, has faulted Nigeria’s three levels of government over a recent accident that claimed the life of Ubong Udom, who was a Superintendent of Police.
Following the death of the policeman, who was Account Officer at the Akwa Ibom State Police Command, the advocacy group has issued two separate statements, indicting the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, the Nigerian Police, the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Transport, and the Uyo Local Government Council.
The accident through which the policeman died on May 3 occurred in Uyo.
Accounts of eye witnesses adduced that it was caused by a truck that was parked on an express road.
In its first statement titled, “One death of immediate consequence of gross negligence”, endorsed by the UK-PRO’s Public Relations Officer, Twoweeks Umoh, the group stated: “We believe that relevant authorities such as the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, the Nigerian Police Force, the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Transport, the Uyo Local Government Council, among other duty-bound governmental bodies, owe the human community explanation regarding the unlawful parking that led to the death of Ubong Udom.
Maintaining its stance in another statement released on Saturday, the group’s spokesman explained that “The UK-PRO’s concern is aimed at making regulatory bodies of the Nigerian government across the three tiers to wake up from their slumber to avert reoccurrence of such situation by doing the needful to protect lives of the surviving people in the human community.
“In taking a cue from the particular circumstance in question, it is proper for those bodies to own up to their dereliction of duties, which led to the accident that caused the death of Ubong Udom.”
Making reference to the rights of the people as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution, the statement added: “It is not arguable that by the act of failing to do their assigned duties, those authorities that ought to play their roles in checking infringement of fundamental rights of citizens have violated Ubong Udom’s constitutional right to life.
“While the option of taking legal action against the violation remains open and can be utilised by any legal personality with requisite standing, we call on those relevant governmental organisations to take action to ward off any such instance that cost the life of our beloved Ubong Udom.”
