A Federal High Court in Lagos has prohibited the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) from arresting drivers whose vehicles have faded number plates.
Justice Akintayo Aluko issued the ruling yesterday, also barring the FRSC from imposing fines or penalties on drivers for using vehicles with faded plate numbers.
The judgment was delivered in response to a suit filed by legal practitioner Chinwike Chamberlain Ezebube against the FRSC.
Ezebube in his Originating Summons filed on February 13, 2024, had asked the court to determine among other things: “Whether the Defendant, pursuant to Section 5 (g) and Section 10 (3)(f) of the Federal Road Safety Commission Act 2007 being the sole designer and producer of Vehicle Number Plates in Nigeria, is not absolutely responsible for the quality and durability of the vehicle number plates as are produced by it?
“Whether the defendant can make it an offence and impose a penalty against the plaintiff and or other Nigerians for driving a vehicle with faded vehicle number plates due to poor quality production as designed and produced by the Defendant?
“Whether the defendant is not obligated to replace at no cost to the Plaintiff and or other Nigerians, the vehicle number plates when same is faded due to poor quality manufacturing by the Defendant?”
The lawyer asked the court to determine these issues in his favour. He also urged the court to make the following orders: “an order restricting the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), from declaring it an offence for the Plaintiff to drive with a faded vehicle number plate.
“An order restricting the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), from imposing any fine or punishment on the Plaintiff for driving with a faded vehicle number plate.
“An order mandating the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), to replace at no extra cost, Vehicle Licence Number Plate LSD905EQ or any faded vehicle plate numbers of the Plaintiff’s vehicle or vehicles upon the payment of the initial vehicle Plate Number issuance cost.
However, the FRSC through its lawyer, B.O Nnamani, filed a counter affidavit asking the court to dismiss the plaintiff’s suit with punitive cost.
Delivering judgment on the suit, Justice Aluko held that: “While Defendant cannot criminalize the use of faded vehicle number plates, Plaintiff has a duty to approach Defendant for a replacement of his faded vehicle number plate upon payment of the requisite fees for that purpose.
The court said, “By way of conclusion, I hold the view that Defendant cannot criminalize the use of faded vehicle Number Plate and has no power to impose a fine on Plaintiff for using faded vehicle Number plate or impound the Plaintiff vehicle on such grounds without the order of a court of competent jurisdiction.
“Having examined the affidavit evidence before the court and determined the above questions, judgment is entered as follows: “An order of the Honourable Court restricting the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), from declaring it an offence to drive with a faded vehicle number plate is granted.
“An order of the honourable court restricting the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), from imposing any fine or punishment on the Plaintiff for driving with a faded vehicle number plate is granted.
“An order directing Plaintiff to approach Defendant for the replacement of his faded vehicle number plate LSD905EQ and that Defendant shall replace same upon payment of the reasonable and requisite fee is granted.”
