A Federal High Court has barred the Directorate of Road Services popularly called VIO from confiscating vehicles and imposing fines on owners over road traffic violations in the country.
The court ruled that the agency should cease engaging in such actions on roads immediately, saying it is against the law.
Ruling on the suit, FHC/ABJ/CS/1695/2023before the court, Justice Nkeonye Evelyn Maha said that the road traffic inspectorate was not legally equipped to seize vehicles or impose severe sanctions on owners.
The judgement, which followed a lawsuit brought before the court by rights attorney Abubakar Marshal, significantly pruned the powers of VIO on motorists across the country.
In her judgment, Maha said VIO officers “are not empowered by any law or statute to stop, impound, confiscate the vehicles of motorists and or impose fine on motorists.”
Subsequently, the judge entered an order of perpetual injunction restraining the VIO and its agents, privies, allies, or anybody acting on its behalf from further violating the rights of Nigerians to freedom of movement, presumption of innocence, and right to own property without lawful justification.
Meanwhile, the order did not apply to the Federal Road Safety Corps, which has operated for decades as the largest body of road traffic marshals in Nigeria.
