By Zaharaddeen Ishaq Abubakar
The Director-General of the Katsina State Road Traffic Agency (KASSAROTA), Major Garba Yahaya Rimi (Rtd), has announced plans to recruit 3,660 volunteer personnel to support traffic management and emergency response across the state.
Major Rimi disclosed this during an interview with Katsina Times at his office in Katsina on Tuesday, March 10, 2026.
According to him, the recruitment is not for permanent staff but for volunteer assistants who will help the agency in traffic control and emergency response on major and minor roads.
He explained that the initiative has already received approval from the Katsina State Governor after the agency formally submitted a proposal.
“It is not additional staff but voluntary personnel. We wrote to His Excellency, the Governor of Katsina State, and he approved the recruitment,” Rimi said.
He noted that the volunteers will be recruited across the state’s 361 wards, with 10 persons selected from each ward.
“If we recruit 10 people from each of the 361 wards, we will have about 3,660 volunteers across the state,” he added.
The KASSAROTA Director-General said the volunteers will assist the agency in traffic control and provide first aid or basic medical assistance in the event of accidents on roads across the state.
Speaking on welfare provisions for the volunteers, including insurance and allowances, Rimi said the agency is currently working on the operational framework for the program.
“We are preparing the modalities which will be forwarded to His Excellency for further approval. Once that is done, all issues concerning their welfare and operations will be properly addressed,” he said.
Responding to complaints from some motorists that fines for traffic offences are too high, the KASSAROTA boss explained that the charges are based on existing traffic laws enacted by the Katsina State Government and the State House of Assembly.
According to him, the agency has more than 86 different traffic offences, and in some cases, road users may commit multiple violations at the same time.
“Sometimes a road user may commit two or three offences at once. For instance, it is an offence to drive against traffic, to operate an unregistered motorcycle, or to drive without a valid licence. Each offence has its own penalty as provided by law,” he said.
He explained that when several offences are committed simultaneously, the total fines may exceed ₦20,000, which often leads to public complaints.
Rimi further noted that an additional charge may apply when a seized vehicle or motorcycle is kept in the agency’s custody.
“When a vehicle or motorcycle is impounded and kept at our facility, the law allows us to charge a demurrage fee of ₦500 per day in addition to the applicable fines,” he said.
He urged road users in the state to comply with traffic regulations to avoid penalties and contribute to safer roads.
