The attention of the Imo State Ministry of Transport has been drawn to a Federal High Court judgment in Abuja barring the Directorate of Vehicle Inspection Services (VIO) in the FCT from further stopping vehicles on the road, impounding or confiscating vehicles, and imposing fines on traffic violators.
The Ministry has been inundated with calls and inquiries on whether the VIO in Imo State is affected by the judgment and its implication for the operations of the VIO in the State.
It is therefore imperative to state as follows:
1. The judgement in question was delivered in Abuja and therefore lacks jurisdictional effect in Imo State.
2. The motif of the judgment of FHC/ABJ/CS/1695/2023 was the lack of an operational law on which basis the VIO operated in the Federal Capital Territory.
3) The Vehicle Inspection Unit in Imo State operates under the statutory mandate of the Ministry of Transport and the Imo State Transport Administration Law No.14 2011 as a Unit in the Ministry of Transport Imo State.
The law defined what constitutes Traffic Violations and Offences. It also stipulates penalties and fines payable in the case of violations as a deterrent to ensure the safety of our roads and road users.
3. In view of the above, the judgement of the Federal High Court Abuja on VIO operations is not applicable in Imo State and of no effect.
Imolites and indeed all road users in the State are advised to continue to abide by the extant State laws governing Traffic Management in the State to ensure safety on our roads as we strive to improve the experience of road users in our dear State, Imo.
E-Signed:
Hon. Dr. (Sir) Chika Benson Abazu
Commissioner for Transport
Imo State
October 10, 2024.
Discover more from The STATESMAN Newspaper
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Post Disclaimer
THE STATESMAN NEWSPAPER make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the stories hereon as the statements are purely of the news makers.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from THE STATESMAN NEWSPAPER.
Contact:
