Operatives of Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS), otherwise known as Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) are back to roads in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with a renewed pledge to impound vehicles of traffic violators who failed to pay fines within seven days.
The Directorate has launched an e-ticketing and central booking of such offenders.
It has also acquired technological devices that would record traffic infractions and issue electronic tickets to the offenders.
Director of DRTS, Dr. Abdullateef Bello said that the new system would automatically reduce physical interface between its enforcement officers and motorists and efficiently facilitate tracking and penalizing of road traffic offenders.
“We are back on the road and we will now impound vehicles only when you fail to pay your fines within seven days. The DRTS will not be stopping vehicles at random now, because the devices will select those that are not adequately in line with the position of law, and those are the ones we will be dealing with henceforth,” the Director warned.
Before this, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) appealed a court judgment barring “VIO” from stopping and impounding vehicles in the territory.
In 2024 Justice Evelyn Maha of the Federal High Court in Abuja issued an order barring the VIO from further stopping vehicles on the road, impounding or confiscating vehicles, and imposing fines on motorists.
Justice Maha issued the order on a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by a human rights activist and public interest attorney, Abubakar Marshal.
Justice Maha upheld Marshal’s argument, ruling that VIO`s action is wrongful, oppressive, and unlawful by themselves.
Continuing, she ordered a perpetual injunction restraining the respondents from further violating the rights of Nigerians to freedom of movement, presumption of innocence and right to own property without lawful justification.
But DRTS Director, Bello said this week that the court case against DRTS doesn’t stop the evolution of new initiatives, “as the FCT Minister is legally allowed to make regulations on transportation issues.”
He explained that a simulation exercise of the new system and staff training has taken place and necessary machinery activated for the smooth take-off of the initiative.
The new system also allows offenders to appeal the penalty.
He continued that the move is “in compliance with the FCT Transportation Secretariat’s strategy of e-enforcement and penalty system,” adding “henceforth, all violators of traffic issues will now be booked electronically and they will be served with their tickets for seven days. If they fail to pay the fine, then the vehicle will be impounded.”
