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Court Restrains Police, FRSC from Imposing Car Insurance Fines Without Court Order
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Federal High Court in Abuja has restrained the Nigeria Police Force and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) from imposing fines on motorists for third-party motor vehicle insurance violations without a court order.
The ruling followed a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/291/2025 filed by activist-lawyer, Mr Deji Adeyanju, against the Inspector-General of Police, the Attorney-General of the Federation and the FRSC.
Delivering judgment on Friday, Justice Hauwa Yilwa held that while both the police and the FRSC have the power to enforce compliance with third-party motor insurance, they lack the legal authority to impose fines on alleged offenders.
The suit was initiated through an originating summons, brought pursuant to Section 17 of the Motor Vehicles (Third Party Insurance) Act, 1950, Sections 68(3) and (4) of the Insurance Act, 2003, as well as provisions of the Federal Road Safety Commission (Establishment) Act, 2007.
Mr Adeyanju had asked the court to determine whether the police could enforce third-party insurance, impose fines without judicial backing, and whether such enforcement during routine stop-and-search operations violated constitutional rights.
He also sought a declaration on whether the power to enforce third-party motor insurance lies exclusively with the FRSC.
In addition to the declaratory relief, the applicant requested orders of perpetual injunction restraining the police from enforcing third-party insurance and from imposing fines without judicial backing.
He further urged the court to hold the Attorney-General of the Federation accountable for providing legal guidance on the scope of police powers under the relevant statutes.
However, in its judgment, the court drew a distinction between enforcement and sanctioning powers.
Counsel to the applicant, Mr Marvin Omorogbe, said the court upheld the authority of both the police and the FRSC to ensure compliance with motor vehicle insurance laws, but firmly ruled against the imposition of fines by either agency.
According to him, the court held that “the police and the road safety may enforce” compliance but “outrightly lack the powers to impose fines on third parties or vehicle owners” in the course of such enforcement.
“The court went further to restrain the IGP, the Police Force and all their officers, including the FRSC, from imposing fines on motor vehicle users or Nigerian citizens,” Mr Omorogbe said.
Reacting to the judgment, Mr Adeyanju expressed satisfaction, noting that the central objective of the suit had been achieved.
“The sole reason why we came to court is that we wanted the court to make a positive declaration that the police and the road safety do not have the right to impose fines on any Nigerian over motor vehicle insurance. And we have succeeded,” he said.
He argued that the ruling would curb what he described as a pattern of extortion by enforcement agencies and restore confidence among motorists.
Mr Adeyanju added that although the court declined to grant all the reliefs sought—particularly the request to strip the police entirely of enforcement powers—it nonetheless made a significant pronouncement on the limits of those powers.
He also urged Nigerians to take advantage of the judgment to assert their rights and seek legal remedies where necessary.
On the other hand, counsel to the defendants, Mr Victor Okoye, said the judgment was only partly favourable to the police and signalled plans to challenge it at the Court of Appeal.
Mr Okoye disclosed that the defence had raised a preliminary objection questioning the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the suit, arguing that the originating summons was incompetent and unsuitable for resolving contentious issues.
He relied on appellate authorities to stress that jurisdiction is fundamental to adjudication and must be determined before any substantive issues.
Despite this, he noted, the court proceeded to deliver judgment.
By Dipo Olowookere
Residents and motorists plying the Aina Obembe Road in Baruwa, Ipaja, Lagos, may soon heave a sigh of relief as the excruciating traffic gridlock being experienced in the area both day and night may soon be a thing of the past.
This is because the chairman of Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA, Mr Lukmon Agbaje, has directed those involved in indiscriminate truck parking along the road to remove the heavy-duty vehicles within one week, threatening to invoke appropriate enforcement measures for noncompliance with this directive.
Speaking during a meeting on Wednesday with the management of SENA Company, which owns the affected trucks, as well as the leadership of Oluwadara CDA and other key stakeholders like the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), at the council’s secretariat, Mr Agbaje frowned at the prolonged inconvenience suffered by the community, stressing that public roads must remain accessible and safe for all users.
He emphasised the need for a collaborative approach in resolving the issue without undermining legitimate business operations, noting that he’s focused on finding a lasting solution to the gridlock experienced between Oluwaga and Aina Obembe, where parked trucks have continued to obstruct traffic, disrupt business activities, and pose safety concerns for residents and motorists.
He tasked the firm and the CDA to jointly identify and implement alternative parking arrangements that would remove all trucks from the affected roads and restore the free flow of traffic.
He declared that, “The welfare of our people remains our highest priority. No individual or corporate organisation should obstruct public infrastructure or create avoidable hardship for residents. We must ensure that economic activities coexist with public safety, order, and convenience.”
The council chief reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to promoting orderly development, ensuring safe and accessible roads, improving traffic management, and creating an environment where businesses can thrive alongside the well-being of residents.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has cut import levies on new and used vehicles by as much as 10 per cent in a move aimed at reducing the cost of vehicle importation, even as it commenced the implementation of a new Green Tax surcharge.
According to an update issued by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Wednesday, the import levy on new vehicles has been reduced from 20 per cent to 10 per cent, while the levy on used vehicles has been slashed from 15 per cent to five per cent under the 2026 Fiscal Policy Measures, which took effect on July 1, 2026.
The customs said the policy is designed to ease the cost of vehicle imports while advancing the government’s environmental sustainability objectives through the newly introduced Green Tax.
The implementation also reduces the overall import duty on fully built passenger vehicles from 70 per cent to 40 per cent.
As part of the Green Tax framework, a new environmental surcharge of between two per cent and four per cent will apply to petrol-powered vehicles with engine capacities exceeding 2,000cc. However, mass transit buses, electric vehicles, and passenger cars with engines below 2,000cc are exempt from the surcharge.
Beyond the automobile sector, the fiscal measures also lower import duties on several essential goods. The duty on imported rice has been reduced from 70 per cent to 47.5 per cent, while crude palm oil now attracts a 28.75 per cent duty.
In addition, import duties on agricultural and manufacturing machinery have been completely removed to support local production, while Waste PET has been added to the export prohibition list to encourage domestic recycling.
By Dipo Olowookere
Plans are underway to carry out a comprehensive data capture and registration exercise of all commercial motorcycle and tricycle operators within Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA.
This move, according to the council chairman, Mr Lukmon Agbaje, is part of proactive measures to strengthen the security of lives and property across the Local Council Development Area (LCDA). The exercise, he said, would be executed in partnership with security agencies and transport unions.
On Tuesday, the council chief convened a high-level security meeting with leaders of commercial transport unions and key security stakeholders operating within the area.
Mr Agbaje expressed concern over the increasing influx of commercial motorcycle (Okada) and tricycle (Keke) operators into the LCDA without proper documentation or profiling.
According to him, the absence of reliable records poses significant security challenges and could provide opportunities for criminal elements to infiltrate communities under the guise of commercial transportation.
He stressed that security is best achieved through preventive measures, noting that effective profiling and documentation remain essential tools in safeguarding residents and protecting the council from emerging security threats.
Mr Agbaje disclosed that under the new security framework, all Okada and Keke parks and operational locations across the LCDA would be officially documented, adding that every duly verified operator would receive an official identification jacket bearing a unique coded number to facilitate easy identification and monitoring.
He also said a mandatory guarantor system will be introduced to strengthen accountability, ensuring that every registered rider has a verifiable guarantor who can be contacted whenever necessary.
The chairman noted that these measures are designed not only to improve security coordination but also to protect law-abiding commercial operators and discourage criminal activities within the council.
Leaders of the various transport unions welcomed the initiative, noting that proper documentation will distinguish genuine operators from criminal elements, enhance public confidence, and promote a safer working environment for commercial transporters.
Also, the Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) of Ayobo and Ipaja Commands commended the initiative, describing it as a timely and commendable step towards strengthening community policing. They reaffirmed the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to working closely with the council to ensure full compliance and sustain peace and public order.
