Boma Achenimie 
Mr Yusuf Abdullahi, Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Bauchi State, has called for the use of Sharia Law in the prosecution of traffic offenders to reduce the number of accidents on the nation’s roads.
The Corp Commander made this known on Thursday while speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Bauchi.
He claims that the laws governing traffic accidents are not strict enough, necessitating the introduction of stricter laws like the Sharia Law.
According to Abdullahi, the measure would promote good driving practices, discipline, and respect for the law.
He claimed that it will help lessen the recent incidence of unsightly roadside incidents brought on by careless driving.
“Let us introduce Sharia Law into road crashes, and people will wake up. Our people are too careless, and the vehicle owners don’t bother to check them.
“If we don’t introduce Sharia Law, many road users, especially in this area, would not start thinking twice before doing whatever they want to do.
“The introduction of Sharia Law will curtail bad behavior, as most of the crashes are due to negative attitudes by motorists and other road users.
“People don’t want to take a rest; they over speed because they want to make money.
“If the law is introduced, by the time you are involved in a crash, it would be investigated; the guilty and his family would also be responsible for anything that happens in that vehicle.
“In a situation where the driver lost his life to a crash if found guilty, the owner of the vehicle would also be held responsible as it would be revealed that he didn’t do his homework before giving out the vehicle.
“The extant law is working, however, the extent to which it works is very important because, in countries where Sharia Law is being implemented, it guides attitudinal conduct to a level that even relatives and friends guide their relations in terms of what to do or not do,” he said.
According to him, the offender is not left alone to bear the penalty, as the Sharia Law equally brings in the family members.
“If stiffer penalties are being attached to road traffic crash offenders, it will go a long way to help us stem all drivers and other road users and make them drive carefully to avoid crashes”.
He noted that the conventional law did not appeal to attitude nor did it take care of conduct to the end, rather it only looked at the immediate happening while the Sharia law looked deeper into the final happening.
He said, “That is why the Sharia law will be better. If you look at the countries where it is being practiced, it is everybody’s business because your relations and friends know that it cannot be compromised”
