The Executive Director of the Niger State Motor Vehicle Administration Agency, Bako Mohammed, has declared that the recent Federal High Court ruling prohibiting the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) from stopping vehicles on the road does not apply to the state.
This statement was made during a press conference in Minna, North Central Nigeria, ahead of the National Conference on Standardization and Harmonization of Vehicle Testing and Licensing.
Bako said the state governor is constitutionally empowered to formulate laws guiding vehicular movement within the territory.
This stance, he argued suggests that Niger State will continue to operate its VIO as usual, despite the court’s ruling.
The Federal High Court in Abuja had ruled that the VIO lacks legal authority to stop vehicles, confiscate them, or impose fines on motorists. Justice Nkeonye Evelyn Maha delivered the judgment, stating that no law empowers the VIO to carry out such actions.
However, Bako emphasised that the fourth coming National Conference of Directors of Road Traffic, aims to propose a unified standard for policies, safety, and security in motor vehicle administration across Nigeria.
The conference, which will be held in Niger State, is intended to seek a harmonise vehicle testing and licensing procedures nationwide.
