Breaking: Court Slams VIO over Authority to Seize Vehicles, Fine Drivers.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld a judgment that bars the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) from seizing vehicles or imposing fines on motorists. The court ruled that VIO officials lack the statutory power to stop, impound, confiscate, or impose fines on vehicles, as such actions violate motorists' fundamental rights.

The judgment emphasized that the actions of VIO officials breached motorists' rights to fair hearing, freedom of movement, and presumption of innocence, as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights.

The court issued a perpetual injunction restraining VIO officials from further violating Nigerians' rights to freedom of movement, presumption of innocence, and property ownership without lawful justification.

The court awarded N2.5 million in damages to the applicant, Abubakar Marshal, and an additional N1 million in costs, bringing the total to N3.5 million.

This judgment sets a precedent that may prompt similar legal challenges in other states where VIO operations have been a source of tension. It reinforces the principle that public agencies must act strictly within the boundaries of powers conferred upon them. The ruling has been hailed as a victory for the rule of law and a corrective step toward curbing overreach by regulatory agencies.