Breaking: Major Court Ruling Limits VIO's Authority Over Your Vehicle

The Federal High Court in Abuja has prohibited the Directorate of Road Traffic Services (VIO) from stopping vehicles on the road, impounding them, or imposing fines on motorists.

Justice Evelyn Maha issued the ruling on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, in response to a fundamental rights enforcement suit: FHC/ABJ/CS/1695/2023, filed by human rights and public interest lawyer Abubakar Marshal.

The order applies to the Director of Road Transport, the Area Commander of Jabi, the Team Leader in Jabi, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), who were also named as respondents.

Justice Maha supported Marshal’s claim that no law grants the respondents the authority to stop, confiscate, impound, seize, or impose fines on motorists.

The judge stated that the first four respondents, operating under the control of the fifth respondent (the Minister of the FCT), lack legal authority to carry out such actions.

Furthermore, she issued an order restraining the first four respondents, including their agents or representatives, from confiscating or impounding vehicles or imposing fines, deeming such actions as wrongful, oppressive, and unlawful.

Justice Maha also granted a perpetual injunction against the respondents, preventing them from infringing on the rights of Nigerians to freedom of movement, the presumption of innocence, and property ownership without lawful justification.