A motorist films officials in DRTS caps and reflective vests stepping into a highway to wave cars over. They herd them toward a yellow-and-black DRTS bus while traffic bunches up behind.
The Directorate of Road Traffic Services (VIO) has already lost this argument in court. In October 2024 a Federal High Court in Abuja barred it from stopping, impounding or fining motorists on public roads, calling the practice illegal and oppressive. The Court of Appeal upheld that ruling in December 2025. A roadside stop like this one shows a court order that hasn't reached the people on the road.
What broke, and what would fix it
What broke
A court ruling changes nothing until it changes field instructions, supervision and sanctions. While on-the-spot fines and towing fees keep flowing to the people doing the stopping, the incentive runs against the law.
Who audits roadside enforcement, and where does the money collected at these stops go?
