A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has issued a ruling which prohibits Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) from stopping vehicles on the road, impounding or confiscating them, and also imposing fines on motorists.
The judgment was delivered on Wednesday by Justice Evelyn Maha in a suit filed by Abubakar Marshal, a public interest lawyer.
Justice Maha in her ruling affirmed Marshal’s submission that there is no legal ground for VIO officials to stop, impound, or confiscate vehicles or to levy fines against motorists.
The ruling also extends to other respondents such as the Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS); the Area Commander in Jabi, Abuja; the Team Leader in Jabi, as well as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The court issued a restraining order against the respondents which prevents them, their agents and/or assigns from impounding or confiscating vehicles or imposing fines, stating that such actions are unlawful, oppressive and wrongful, adding that it violates the rights of Nigerians “to freedom of movement, presumption of innocence and right to own property without lawful justification”.
The presiding judge also stated that only a court of competent jurisdiction was allowed to impose a fine or sanction any motorist, who was discovered to have acted in breach of any extant law.
More details later.