Dr Bako Mohammed, the Executive Director of the Niger State Motor Vehicle Administration Agency, has announced that the recent Federal High Court ruling prohibiting the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) from stopping vehicles on the road does not apply to Niger State.
During a press conference in Minna, ahead of the National Conference on Standardization and Harmonization of Vehicle Testing and Licensing, Dr Bako explained that the state’s governor is constitutionally empowered to create laws regulating vehicular movement within the state.
This position, he noted, means that Niger State will continue its VIO operations as usual, in contrast to the Federal High Court’s ruling.
The ruling, delivered by Justice Nkeonye Evelyn Maha of the Federal High Court in Abuja, declared that the VIO lacks legal authority to stop vehicles, confiscate them, or impose fines on motorists.
Justice Maha emphasised that no law grants the VIO such powers.
However, Dr Bako maintained that the upcoming National Conference of Directors of Road Traffic will aim to propose a unified standard for motor vehicle policies, safety, and security across the country.
Scheduled to be held in Niger State, the conference will focus on harmonising vehicle testing and licencing procedures nationwide.
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