Residents and motorists across Abuja noticed an unusual absence of Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) personnel on the city’s roads Monday, following a Federal High Court ruling that curtailed the agency’s authority to stop vehicles, impound them, or impose fines on motorists.
The court order, handed down last week by Justice Evelyn Maha, was in response to a fundamental rights enforcement suit, FHC/ABJ/CS/1695/2023, filed by human rights activist and lawyer, Abubakar Marshal, of Falana & Falana Chambers. In her ruling, Justice Maha prohibited the Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DTRS), commonly known as the VIO, from carrying out these enforcement actions on motorists in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The VIO, established under CAP 548 of the Abuja Laws of 1990, has been responsible for vehicle administration services and traffic regulation in the FCT. Their responsibilities, outlined in the 2005 Road Transport Regulations (updated in 2022), include the inspection, testing, and licensing of vehicles and drivers to ensure road safety, according to the agency’s website.
Despite this, public complaints have long accused the agency of overstepping its bounds, with many claiming that VIO officials focus more on impounding vehicles and issuing fines than on genuine road safety measures.
The court’s decision bars the agency from conducting its usual highway and street patrols aimed at enforcing traffic laws—a task prominently listed on the VIO’s website.
This development has left some residents hopeful for improved transparency in traffic enforcement.
“I am so happy,” Rafiu, a 38-year-old taxi driver beaming with smiles told AkweyaTV. “Now, someone can breathe.”
Meanwhile, the VIO’s office has yet to issue a formal response to the ruling. Some motorists spoken to are uncertain how traffic safety and regulation will be managed going forward. Officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) were sighted at the Zone 4 area of Wuse District and at the Abuja City Gate, stopping motorists for checks that led to traffic build up.
Follow the AkweyaTV channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va7m7dvJuyA7h5XMc22i
