Court upholds FRSC’s sanction over tampered number plate

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has welcomed a recent Federal High Court judgement which upheld its authority to penalise motorists who violate traffic regulations, particularly those concerning number plate standards.

This is contained in a statement by the Corps Public Education Officer (CPEO), Olusegun Ogungbemide, on Thursday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the judgement was delivered on June 23, 2025, by Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court, Lagos.

It came in suit number FHC/L/CS/2367/2024 between Ojo Victor Olomi and the Federal Road Safety Commission.

Ogungbemide said that in the well-considered judgement, the court dismissed Olomi’s claims challenging the legality of the fine imposed on him and the confiscation of his driver’s licence by FRSC officials.

He said that the case stemmed from the applicant’s unlawful hand-painting of his vehicle’s number plate, rendering it non-reflective and in breach of the National Road Traffic Regulations, 2016.

According to him, the regulation mandates that all number plates remain reflective for visibility, security, and enforcement purposes.

“Justice Kakaki affirmed that the applicant’s action was a violation recognised by law and declared that the confiscation of his driver’s licence did not infringe on his fundamental human rights, as claimed.

“The court also drew a clear line between this case and an earlier judgement in Chinwike Ezebube v. FRSC, stressing that hand-painted number plates remain a punishable traffic offence,” he said.

Ogungbemide described the ruling as a landmark judicial endorsement of its powers to enforce road safety laws and a validation of its statutory responsibilities.

“This verdict serves as a significant nod from the judiciary validating the powers and responsibilities of the FRSC in enforcing traffic regulations.

“This is particularly as they relate to vehicle identification and road safety compliance, he said.

Reacting, the FRSC Corps Marshal, Malam Shehu Mohammed, urged all motorists to desist from acts that compromised road safety and violated established regulations, such as tampering with or altering number plates.

Mohammed also called on the public to ignore misleading interpretations of previous court rulings and take due note of the legal clarity provided by the new judgement.

“The FRSC remains committed to its mission of creating a safer motoring environment and will continue to carry out its lawful duties.

“This will be with professionalism, integrity, and respect for the rights of all Nigerians,” he said. (NAN)

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