The Federal High Court in Kano has ruled that the Federal Road Safety Commission lacks the legal authority to operate on state and local government roads, declaring its activities on township roads in Kano unlawful.
In a judgment delivered on Thursday, Justice M. S. Shuaibu held that FRSC officials acted outside their statutory powers when they stopped, questioned and delayed motorists on township roads across Kano metropolis in July 2025.
The court ruled that the actions of the commission violated the affected motorists’ constitutional rights to personal liberty and freedom of movement as guaranteed under Sections 35 and 41 of the 1999 Constitution.
The suit was instituted by a Kano-based lawyer, Abba Hikima, who challenged the legality of the commission’s operations after he was reportedly stopped and questioned by FRSC operatives on a township road without committing any traffic offence.
Justice Shuaibu granted all the substantive reliefs sought by the applicant, including a perpetual injunction restraining the FRSC, its officers, agents and representatives from further stopping, harassing or obstructing motorists on state and local government roads in Kano without lawful authority.
The court also ordered the commission to publish a public apology to the applicant in a national newspaper for violating his fundamental rights.
In addition, the judge awarded N800,000 as damages and costs against the FRSC.
The case stemmed from an incident in July 2025 when FRSC personnel mounted checkpoints on roads within Kano metropolis and allegedly stopped motorists to demand driver’s licences and subject them to questioning despite the absence of any primary traffic violation.
Hikima subsequently approached the Federal High Court, arguing that the commission’s enabling law empowers it to regulate traffic and enforce road safety only on federal highways, not on roads under the control of state or local governments.
He maintained that the commission’s actions amounted to an unlawful infringement on citizens’ constitutional rights.
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