Court bars VIO officers from stopping, impounding vehicles
By Jeffrey Agbo
Justice Evelyn Maha of a Federal High Court in Abuja has barred the Directorate of Road Traffic Services, otherwise known as Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO), from further stopping vehicles on the road, impounding or confiscating vehicles and imposing fines on motorists.
The judge gave the order on Wednesday on a fundamental rights enforcement suit: FHC/ABJ/CS/1695/2023 filed by a human rights activist and attorney, Abubakar Marshal.
Also affected by the order are the following listed as respondents in the case — director of road transport; the area commander, Jabi; the team leader, Jabi and the Minister of the FCT.
Justice Maha upheld Marshal’s argument that no law empowers respondents to stop, impound, confiscate, seize or impose fines on motorists.
The judge declared that the first to the 4th respondents, who are under the control of the 5th respondent (Minister of the FCT) are not empowered by any law or statute to stop, impound, or confiscate the vehicles of motorists and or impose fines on motorists.
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She proceeded to issue an order restraining the 1st to 4th respondents either through their agents, servants, and or assigns from impounding, confiscating the vehicle of motorists, and or imposing a fine on any motorist as doing so is wrongful, oppressive, and unlawful by themselves.
Justice Maha further 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, presumption of innocence and right to own property without lawful justification.
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