The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld a judgment restraining the Directorate of Road Traffic Services and Vehicle Inspection Officers from stopping motorists, seizing vehicles or imposing fines. In a unanimous decision delivered by Justice Oyejoju Oyewumi, a three-member panel dismissed the appeal filed by the VIO, affirming the October 16, 2024 Federal High Court ruling that described such actions as unlawful and without statutory backing.
Justice Nkeonye Maha had earlier ruled that no law empowered VIO officials to confiscate vehicles or penalize motorists, following a suit filed by lawyer Abubakar Marshal, who was allegedly stopped and dispossessed of his car. The court declared the act oppressive, awarded N2.5 million in damages, and issued a perpetual injunction against further violations. The respondents appealed but lost, leaving the judgment intact.