ABUJA, Nigeria—The Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that the Directorate of Road Traffic Services and Vehicle Inspection Officers, VIO, lacks the legal authority to confiscate vehicles or impose fines on motorists, delivering a significant blow to the agency’s current enforcement practices.
Justice Nkeonye Maha, who delivered the judgment, held that only a court of competent jurisdiction has the power to fine or sanction motorists for traffic violations.
The ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by public interest lawyer Abubakar Marshal, challenging the actions of the VIO as illegal and oppressive.
In granting the reliefs sought by the plaintiff, Justice Maha declared that the VIO’s actions, including stopping, impounding, or fining motorists, are unlawful.
The court issued a perpetual injunction restraining the VIO from infringing on the constitutional rights of Nigerians, including their freedom of movement and the right to own property.
“The VIO has no statutory power to enforce fines or impound vehicles,” the judgment read, affirming that such penalties can only be imposed by a court of law.
This ruling clarifies the limits of the VIO’s enforcement powers under the Federal Capital Territory’s authority, which many Nigerians had previously challenged as overreach.
The judgment is expected to have a significant impact on traffic enforcement practices in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and could prompt changes to the current regulatory framework for traffic management.
For now, motorists in the FCT can breathe a sigh of relief, as the ruling protects their rights from arbitrary enforcement actions by the VIO.
