The Court of Appeal, situated in Asaba, Delta State, has rendered a verdict affirming that the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) is exclusively permitted to operate on federal roads. This decision upholds the judgment of the Federal High Court in Warri, which established the limitation of the FRSC’s operations to federal roads.
The ruling was delivered in response to a lawsuit initiated by Darlington Ehikim, a member of the NBA Warri. Justice E. Nwite of the Federal High Court in Warri granted all the reliefs sought by the plaintiff, including a declaration that the FRSC lacks the authority to engage in any activities on state and local government roads.
The FRSC had lodged an appeal contesting the judgment, but it has now been dismissed by the appellate court. Additionally, the court issued restraining orders to prevent the commission from operating on roads other than federal highways. Furthermore, the FRSC has been ordered to pay costs amounting to N10 million.
Mr. Kunle Edun, the plaintiff’s attorney, commended both the trial and appellate courts for upholding the correct interpretation of the law. He highlighted that the judgment reiterates the federal structure of the country, as the FRSC, being a federal agency, should solely focus on federal roads.
