The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court has issued a landmark ruling declaring that the Directorate of Road Services, commonly known as the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO), must immediately cease confiscating vehicles or imposing fines on Nigerians for road traffic violations.
Delivering the judgment in case number FHC/ABJ/CS/1695/2023 on October 2, 2024, Justice Nkeonye Evelyn Maha stated that the VIO is not legally empowered to seize vehicles or impose harsh sanctions on motorists.
This ruling follows a lawsuit brought by rights attorney Abubakar Marshal from Falana and Falana Chambers, which aimed to challenge the authority of one of the country’s most notorious road traffic enforcement agencies.
The decision significantly curtails the powers of the VIO, offering relief to millions of motorists who have long faced the threat of vehicle confiscation and fines.
However, it is important to note that the ruling does not extend to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), which has operated for decades as Nigeria’s largest body of road traffic marshals.
In her judgment, Justice Maha emphasized that VIO officers “are not empowered by any law or statute to stop, impound, confiscate the vehicles of motorists and or impose fines on motorists.”
The court subsequently issued a perpetual injunction against the VIO and its agents, forbidding them from infringing upon the rights of Nigerians, including their freedom of movement and right to own property, without lawful justification.
As of Thursday afternoon, it remained unclear whether the VIO would comply with the ruling, as a spokesperson for the directorate had not responded to requests for comments regarding the judgment.
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