The Federal High Court has barred the Directorate of Road Traffic Services, popularly known as VIO, from impounding, confiscating or imposing fines on any motorist.
Ruling in a suit filed by human rights activist and public interest attorney, Abubakar Marshal, Justice N.E. Maha, held that there is no law empowering the Respondents to stop, impound, confiscate, seize, or impose fines on motorists.
Marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1695/2023, Marshal Abubakar vs the Directorate of Road Traffic Services & 4 others, the court held that, “The 1st (Directorate of Road Traffic Services) to 4th Respondents under the control of the 5th Respondent (Minister of the Federal Capital Territory) are not empowered by any law or statute to stop, impound, confiscate the vehicles of motorists and/or impose fines on motorists.”
It restrained the 1st to 4th Respondents, either through their agents, servants and/or assigns, from impounding, confiscating the vehicles of motorists and/or imposing fines on any motorist, as doing so is wrongful, oppressive and unlawful by themselves.
The court also made an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Respondents, whether by themselves, agents, privies, allies or anybody acting on behalf of the 1st Respondent, from further violating the rights of Nigerians to freedom of movement, the presumption of innocence and the right to own property without lawful justification.
Before now, most motorists across the country have been living in fear due to frequent harassment from VIO officials on the roads.
In most cases, road users are made to undergo series of checks, ranging from inspection, tyres, fire extinguishers, number plates amongst others. These checks, most often than none, leaves the car owners paying exorbitant fines and also being delayed much more than required.
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