Appeal Court outlaws VIO, awards ₦1m damages to Abuja motorist

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has affirmed a ruling that declared the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) illegal in its enforcement activities and awarded ₦1 million in damages to Abuja-based motorist Abubakar Marshal.

The appellate court upheld an earlier judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which barred the Directorate of Road Services—popularly known as VIO—from impounding vehicles or issuing fines for traffic violations.

Justice Nkeonye Evelyn Maha, in the initial ruling delivered on October 2, 2024, in case FHC/ABJ/CS/1695/2023, held that the VIO lacked the legal authority to stop vehicles, confiscate them, or impose penalties on motorists.

The lawsuit, filed by rights lawyer Abubakar Marshal of Falana & Falana Chambers, challenged the powers of the VIO and resulted in a significant limitation of the agency’s long-standing enforcement role. The decision was widely welcomed by motorists across Nigeria.

Justice Maha further issued a perpetual injunction restraining the VIO, its officers, agents, and representatives from violating citizens’ rights to freedom of movement, presumption of innocence, and property ownership.

The ruling, however, does not affect the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), which remains the primary statutory body responsible for road traffic regulation and enforcement in the country.