Justice Evelyn Maha of the Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an order preventing the Directorate of Road Traffic Services (commonly known as the Vehicle Inspection Office, VIO) from stopping, impounding, or confiscating vehicles. The court also barred the agency from imposing fines on motorists.

The judgment, delivered on October 2, followed a suit filed by human rights activist and attorney Abubakar Marshal, who challenged the legality of such actions by the VIO. Justice Maha agreed with the applicant’s argument that there is no legal basis for the VIO to carry out these activities, declaring them wrongful, oppressive, and unlawful.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1695/2023, Marshal sued several respondents, including the Directorate of Road Traffic Services and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. He sought a court declaration that the VIO's actions violated motorists' fundamental rights to fair hearing, freedom of movement, and presumption of innocence, citing sections of the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights.

The court granted a restraining order against the respondents, prohibiting them and their agents from impounding vehicles or imposing fines. Additionally, a perpetual injunction was issued to safeguard Nigerians' rights to freedom of movement, presumption of innocence, and property ownership, ensuring that the VIO could no longer infringe on these rights without legal justification.