The Lagos State Government has said a recent Federal High Court judgment in Abuja, which barred the Directorate of Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) from stopping and impounding vehicles does not apply to the VIO Lagos directorate operations.
Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi made the claim in a statement on Tuesday in Lagos.
Osiyemi said it was important to note that in law a court has limits of its territorial jurisdiction and in this case, the judgment was restricted to Abuja.
“It is also important to know the rationale of the judgment of Justice Evelyn Maha in the fundamental rights enforcement suit: FHC/ABJ/CS/1695/2023.
“The rationale is that there is no law which empowers the VIO in Abuja to stop, impound seize, or impose fines on motorists, whereas, in Lagos State, there is the Transport Sector Reform Law of Lagos State (TSRL-2018) which dictates; Part II, Section 11-22 of the law to the establishment, duties and power of VIO in the state.
“This is with the penalties or fines that can be imposed for traffic violations as contained in the schedule of the law (violations-1-52).
“Therefore, the decision of the Federal High Court Abuja on VIO is inapplicable in Lagos State,”he said.