There are indications that the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) may soon be out of operation as the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal this Thursday upheld the ban on the agency by the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court.
In a judgment, a lead judgment delivered by Justice Oyejoju Oyebiola Oyewumi, the appellate court resoved that the VIO should cease confiscating vehicles or imposing fines on Nigerians over road traffic violations.
The Appeal court made it clear that the appeal was without merit and awarded a cost of N1million against the appellant and in favour of the respondent, a rights activist and public interest attorney, Abubakar Marshal.
Recall, Justice Nkeonye Evelyn Maha of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court had while delivering judgment in FHC/ABJ/CS/1695/2023 on October 2, 2024, ruled that the notorious road traffic inspectorate was not legally equipped to seize vehicles or impose severe sanctions on motorists.
The judge therefore entered an order of perpetual injunction restraining the VIO and its agents, privies, allies or anybody acting on its behalf from further violating the rights of Nigerians to freedom of movement, presumption of innocence and right to own property without lawful justification.
The High court judgment, followed a lawsuit by rights attorney, Mr Marshal of Falana and Falana Chambers.
