The Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS), known as the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) in Abuja, has decided to suspend the impounding of vehicles and the issuing of fines following a recent court ruling questioning the legality of its operations.
The decision comes after a Federal High Court judgment on October 2nd deemed that the VIO did not have the authority to stop vehicles or penalize motorists.
In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES, the acting spokesperson of DRTS, Funmi Oguntala, confirmed the agency’s appeal of the ruling, with a hearing scheduled for November 5th.
“For now, DRTS will focus solely on traffic control,” Ms. Oguntala stated. “Enforcement activities will resume if the appeal is successful.”
The court case was initiated by human rights lawyer Abubakar Marshal, arguing that the VIO’s actions were unconstitutional and violated motorists’ rights to freedom of movement and innocence.
Judge Evelyn Maha sided with Marshal, issuing a restraining order against the VIO, calling their practices “unlawful” and “oppressive.”
The lawsuit highlighted the lack of legal authority for the VIO to impound vehicles or impose fines on motorists.
This ruling reflects a larger trend of legal challenges against traffic enforcement agencies in Nigeria. In March 2021, the Court of Appeal in Asaba ruled against the VIO in Delta State, criticizing their aggressive tactics and overreaching authority.
As the appeal process unfolds, critics continue to accuse the VIO of unjustly imposing fines and impounding vehicles without legal basis. The future of traffic enforcement in Abuja remains uncertain amidst these ongoing legal disputes.