Appeal Court Declares VIO Illegal
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has declared the operations of the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) illegal, affirming an earlier judgment that barred the agency from stopping motorists, impounding vehicles, or imposing fines in any part of Nigeria.
The three-man panel of justices delivered the unanimous judgment on Thursday, December 4, 2025, dismissing an appeal filed by the Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS), the body responsible for deploying VIO officers. The court held that the appeal lacked merit.
The decision upholds the October 2, 2024 ruling of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which found that VIO has no statutory authority to enforce traffic offences or punish motorists. The high court had earlier issued a perpetual injunction restraining the agency from stopping or confiscating vehicles.
According to the court, no law in Nigeria empowers VIO officials to arrest motorists, impound cars, or impose fines. It ruled that such actions violate constitutional rights to freedom of movement, property ownership, and due process.
The case originated from a fundamental rights suit filed by Abuja-based lawyer Abubakar Marshal, whose vehicle was seized by VIO officials on December 12, 2023 at Jabi District, Abuja. The Federal High Court had awarded him ₦1 million in damages — a decision reaffirmed by the Court of Appeal on Thursday.
Justice Oyejoju Oyewumi, who delivered the lead judgment, stated that the actions of VIO officials amount to unlawful and oppressive conduct, stressing that only a court of competent jurisdiction can impose penalties or sanctions on motorists.
Civil rights groups and motorists have welcomed the decision as a major victory against what many describe as years of harassment, intimidation, and unlawful roadblocks by VIO personnel.
The ruling is expected to redefine road-traffic enforcement in Nigeria, as only agencies backed by law — such as the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) — are now permitted to stop or sanction motorists on public roads.
The Court of Appeal’s judgment is binding nationwide and takes immediate effect.
