The Court of Appeal sitting in Owerri, Imo State, has declared that the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) does not have the legal power to take away drivers’ licences, impound vehicles, or hold related documents unless there is a lawful reason.
This decision was reached in a case with the number CA/OW/199/2022, which was brought forward by the FRSC, its Corps Marshal, and one of its officers, identified by their uniform number COSS 35. They filed an appeal against Dr. Emmanuel Ugochukwu Shebbs, who had earlier won a judgment against them in a lower court.
The Appeal Court agreed with the ruling previously given by the High Court of Abia State. That court had ruled that the FRSC’s actions were not only unlawful but also amounted to a violation of Shebbs’ fundamental human rights.
In their unanimous ruling, the three justices—Amina Audi Wambai, M. Lawal Abubakar, and Ntong F. Ntong—confirmed that the FRSC was guilty of breaching Shebbs’ rights. However, they reduced the amount of money awarded to him from ₦30 million to ₦10 million. The compensation included both general and exemplary damages.
The incident that led to this legal battle happened during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. Dr. Shebbs was driving along Bende Road in Umuahia when FRSC officials stopped him. According to him, they inspected his car and initially found no issues.
He claimed that the officers then asked him for a bribe, but when he refused, they re-inspected the vehicle, said one of his tyres was worn out, and held on to his driver’s licence. They also gave him a ticket with a ₦3,000 fine.
Instead of paying the fine, Shebbs took the matter to the High Court in Abia State. He argued that the seizure of his licence was unlawful and an infringement on his basic rights.
The latest ruling from the Court of Appeal confirms that FRSC cannot act beyond the law, especially when it comes to seizing personal documents or property. This judgment reinforces that government agencies must operate within legal limits and respect citizens’ rights.
