The Abia Civil Society Network, ACSON, has urged the state government led by Governor Alex Otti to heed a Federal High Court judgement and extant legal provisions and direct the immediate withdrawal of Vehicle Inspection Officers, VIOs, from all road operations in the state.
The group demands that all forms of on-road enforcement by VIOs, including stopping, inspecting, impounding vehicles, and collecting fines, be halted immediately.
Recall that on 2nd October 2024, the Federal High Court in Abuja, in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1695/2023, presided over by Justice Nkeonye Evelyn Maha, declared that Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIOs) have no legal authority under existing laws to stop vehicles, impound them, or levy fines on motorists.
The court ruled that such actions are unlawful and oppressive and violate Nigerians’ rights. It issued a perpetual injunction restraining VIOs and their agents across Nigeria from continuing these illegal operations.
The ruling affirms prior decisions by other courts, including a Court of Appeal decision in Asaba in 2021, which nullified similar unlawful road enforcement practices by VIOs, and an Enugu State High Court judgment in 2022, which also proscribed the practice of VIOs stopping and extorting road users.
The ACSON, in a statement on Wednesday, signed by its convener, Amaka Biachi, the co-convener, Cassius Ukwugbe, and the Executive Secretary, Chuka Okoye, drew the attention of the governor to what it called the ongoing illegal activities of VIOs across the State.
They regretted that despite explicit judicial declarations and statutory limitations, VIO personnel continue to engage in unlawful practices such as stopping vehicles on highways, impounding them without lawful authority, and imposing arbitrary fines on unsuspecting motorists.
“This is not only a flagrant disregard for the law but a direct violation of citizens’ constitutional rights to freedom of movement and protection from arbitrary detention and extortion.
“Furthermore, under the provisions of the Federal Road Safety Commission (Establishment) Act, 2007, and relevant transport regulations, only the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and authorized traffic management agencies are empowered to carry out such road enforcement duties, and even then, only within clearly defined legal boundaries.
“VIOs are administrative officers tasked with duties such as vehicle documentation, driver testing, and safety compliance within motor licensing offices, not roadside enforcement,” the group said.
The Abia Civil Society group called on the Abia VIO Commandant and the Abia State Government to immediately comply with the Federal High Court judgment and other relevant judicial pronouncements.
It called for the launching of a statewide public awareness campaign to educate motorists and transport unions on their rights and the legal boundaries of VIO operations.
The group further stressed the need to establish a dedicated task force or ombudsman office to receive and address complaints regarding VIO misconduct and ensure strict compliance with the law.
