Appeal Court bans FRSC from operating on states roads

The Court of Appeal in Asaba, Delta State, on Monday, upheld the judgment of a lower court banning the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) from operating on state and local roads in the country.

A Federal High Court in the state had, in 2019, held that the FRSC has no legal right to operate or carry out any activity on roads belonging to states and local government areas.

Darlington Ehikim, a lawyer and member of the Nigerian Bar Association in Delta State, filed the case against the FRSC, Thisday newspaper reported.

The trial court had in its judgment restrained the commission from operating on roads other than federal highways and also awarded a cost of N10 million against the commission.

Dissatisfied with the judgment, the FRSC challenged the high court’s decision at the Court of Appeal.

Ruling on the matter on Monday, the judge, E. Nwite, dismissed the commission’s appeal and upheld the trial court decision.

The judgment restricts the commission to only federal roads in different parts of the country.

FRSC heads to Supreme Court

The Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Dauda Biu, said the commission would appeal the judgment of the Appeal Court.

In a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday, the FRSC spokesperson, Bisi Kazeem, said the commission was seeking a stay of execution of the appellate court judgment.

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He said the commission has been briefed on the court judgment but was yet to get a copy of it.

“As soon as we obtain same, we would take time to look at the judgment and make an informed decision on it. Until then, we urge the public to remain calm.”

According to Mr Kazeem, the appellate court judgment implies that officials of the commission would not be able to attend to or rescue crash victims on roads other than federal roads.