In a landmark ruling, the Federal High Court in Abuja has curtailed the powers of the Directorate of Road Traffic Services (VIO), barring it from stopping and impounding vehicles or imposing fines on motorists across Nigeria’s capital.
Justice Evelyn Maha, on October 2, 2024, delivered this judgment in response to a fundamental rights enforcement lawsuit initiated by public interest lawyer Abubakar Marshal.
The court found that the VIO, along with other enforcement officials, lacked the legal authority to halt vehicles or penalise drivers.
The ruling impacts the Director of Road Transport, the Area Commander of Jabi, the Team Leader of Jabi, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), who were all named as respondents.
Justice Maha ruled that none of these parties, under the Minister’s authority, could justify the seizure of vehicles or the imposition of fines on road users.
The judge further issued a perpetual injunction prohibiting these officials and their agents from infringing on the rights of Nigerians to move freely, asserting that any such actions violate constitutional rights, including the presumption of innocence and the protection of personal property.
This ruling reinforces motorists’ rights and limits the powers of the authorities in vehicle-related enforcement without legal grounds.
