Daily Digest Online

In a decisive victory for Nigerian motorists, the Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld a 2024 Federal High Court judgment that permanently prohibits Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) from stopping, impounding, or imposing fines on vehicles, effectively stripping the controversial agency of its core enforcement powers on public roads. The Court of Appeal has delivered a final verdict cementing a major win for drivers across Nigeria, affirming that Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIOs) no longer have the legal authority to stop or confiscate vehicles on the road. In a judgment delivered on Thursday, a three-member appellate panel led by Justice Oyejoju Oyebiola Oyewumi dismissed an appeal by the Directorate of Road Traffic Services (VIO) and upheld the landmark ruling of the Federal High Court from October 4, 2024. The court declared the appeal "without merit" and imposed a cost of N1 million on the VIO, to be paid to the respondent, rights activist and lawy...