VIO.webp

The Digest:

The Abuja Court of Appeal has delivered a definitive verdict. It has affirmed a lower court's ruling, issuing a perpetual injunction that strips the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) of the power to stop vehicles, impose fines, or impound cars, declaring such actions unlawful and oppressive.

Key Points:
  • The Court of Appeal in Abuja upheld a 2024 Federal High Court judgment against the Directorate of Road Traffic Services (VIO).
  • The court issued a permanent injunction, barring the VIO and its agents from stopping motorists, impounding vehicles, or imposing fines.
  • It ruled that only a court of competent jurisdiction has the legal authority to impose such sanctions.
  • The judges described the VIO's actions as "oppressive and unlawful," violating constitutional rights to freedom of movement, presumption of innocence, and ownership of property.
  • The case was originally filed by human rights lawyer Marshal Abubakar, represented by a legal team led by Femi Falana (SAN).
  • While Abubakar sought ₦500 million in damages, the court awarded ₦2.5 million for the infringement of his rights.
  • The ruling is based on violations of Section 42 of the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights.
This landmark judgment plants a flag for citizens' rights on the road, aiming to end a long-standing storm of extra-judicial harassment by traffic officials and reaffirming that state power must operate within the strict bounds of the law. Rooted in the Storm.

Sources: The Cable, Tribune Online