The Federal High Court in Lagos has ruled that the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has the legal authority to impose penalties, including confiscating drivers’ licences, for offences relating to vehicle number plates.
Delivering judgment on Monday, June 23, 2025, in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/2367/2024, Justice Musa Kakaki dismissed a case filed by Mr. Ojo Victor Olomi, who had challenged the FRSC’s action after being penalised for hand-painting his car’s number plate.
Olomi argued that the seizure of his licence violated his fundamental human rights. However, the court held that his actions breached the National Road Traffic Regulations, 2016.
Justice Kakaki stated that hand-painting or modifying a number plate makes it non-compliant with national standards, stressing that the reflective quality of number plates is crucial for visibility, security, and law enforcement.
The court concluded that the FRSC acted within its statutory mandate and that its decision did not breach any constitutional rights. It also clarified that a previous ruling in Chinwike Chamberlain Ezebube v. FRSC was not relevant to the present case.
The judgment reaffirmed that tampering with or altering number plates is a clear traffic offence under Nigerian law.
(Agency Report)
