The Oyo State Government is targeting a significant reduction in road traffic crashes and zero fatalities across the state during the 2026 festive season and beyond.
The Chairman of the Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority (OYRTMA), Major Adekoya Adesagba (rtd.), disclosed this during a media briefing at the State Secretariat, Ibadan, where the agency unveiled its 2026 Ember Months Campaign, themed: “Safe Road, Safe Life: Drive Responsibly.”
Major Adesagba explained that the decentralised advocacy campaign is built on five strategic pillars: advocacy, enforcement, emergency response, inter-agency collaboration, and monitoring and evaluation.
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He said enforcement activities would be intensified, while emergency response mechanisms would be strengthened through improved collaboration with relevant agencies and a more effective referral and monitoring system.
The ‘OYRTMA’ Chairman identified over-speeding, driving against traffic, drunk driving, overloading and the use of mobile phones while driving as major causes of road crashes during the Ember Months, which often contribute to the seasonal increase in traffic accidents.
He said ‘OYRTMA’ would collaborate with religious leaders across the state to promote road safety awareness, including incorporating safety messages into sermons and other activities in places of worship.
He disclosed that the statewide campaign would commence on Monday, November 2, 2026, with a road walk and continue through January 2027, with sustained sensitisation and public enlightenment activities.
Major Adesagba explained that extending the campaign beyond the festive season was necessary to address the heavy return traffic passing through Oyo State, particularly from the northern parts of the country.
He added that ‘OYRTMA‘ would work closely with the Park Management System (PMS), the Nigeria Police Force, Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIOs) and other law enforcement agencies to ensure coordinated operations and effective traffic management during the period.
The Chairman also announced the activation of Oyo State’s emergency traffic lines, 615 and 0912 888 8878, to enable members of the public to promptly report traffic emergencies, road obstructions and other traffic-related incidents.
He urged commercial drivers, private motorists and other road users to embrace the campaign’s message, stressing that road safety was a shared responsibility.
Major Adesagba called on all stakeholders to work together to ensure that the Ember Months were characterised by safe travels and joyful celebrations rather than avoidable road fatalities.
Speaking on behalf of the Chairman of the Park Management System in Oyo State, the Deputy Chairman, Jimoh Tajudeen, appealed to motorists, commercial drivers, transport operators and passengers to support the campaign by complying with traffic regulations and adopting safe road practices.
He stressed the importance of collective responsibility among all road users, noting that adherence to traffic rules and safety measures remained essential to reducing accidents and ensuring safer journeys throughout the festive period.
