Court Bars VIO From Stopping, Impounding Vehicles And Imposing Fines
Justice Evelyn Maha of the Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an order prohibiting the Directorate of Road Traffic Services, commonly known as the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO), from stopping vehicles on the road, impounding them, confiscating vehicles, or imposing fines on motorists.
The judgment was delivered on Thursday in response to a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by human rights activist and public interest attorney, Abubakar Marshal. The ruling also applies to other respondents, including the Director of Road Transport, the Area Commander and team leader of Jabi, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Justice Maha upheld Marshal’s argument that there is no legal basis for the respondents to stop, seize, impound, or fine motorists. She affirmed that “they are not empowered by any law or statute to stop, impound, or confiscate the vehicles of motorists and impose fines on motorists.”
The court proceeded to issue an order restraining the VIO and other respondents from confiscating vehicles or imposing fines, declaring such actions to be “wrongful, oppressive, and unlawful.”
Additionally, Justice Maha granted a perpetual injunction preventing the respondents from further infringing on the rights of Nigerians, including the right to freedom of movement, presumption of innocence, and the right to own property without legal justification.
