A Federal High Court in Kano has declared that the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has no legal authority to operate on state and local government roads. The court ruled that the commission's enforcement activities within Kano metropolis are unlawful and unconstitutional. Justice M. S. Shuaibu delivered the judgment on Thursday, July 16, in a fundamental rights suit filed by legal practitioner Abba Hikima against the FRSC.
Court Finds Rights Violated
The court found that FRSC officers exceeded their lawful authority when, in July 2025, they mounted checkpoints on township roads, stopping and questioning motorists, including Hikima, without any primary traffic offense. Justice Shuaibu held that this conduct breached the constitutional guarantees of personal liberty and freedom of movement under Sections 35 and 41 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as reported by Daily Trust.
The court granted all principal reliefs sought by Hikima. Among the orders was a perpetual injunction barring FRSC officers from stopping, questioning, or harassing motorists on Kano State roads without lawful authority. Additionally, the commission was directed to publish a formal public apology in a national newspaper and pay N800,000 in damages and costs to the applicant.
How the Case Began
The dispute traces back to July 2024, when FRSC operatives deployed checkpoints across township roads in Kano and demanded driver's licenses from motorists without any recorded primary traffic violation, according to Vanguard. Hikima, who was among those stopped, filed a suit at the Federal High Court, arguing that the FRSC's statutory remit is confined to federal highways and does not extend to roads under state or local government jurisdiction. The court's ruling affirmed this position, drawing a clear jurisdictional boundary that limits FRSC's enforcement powers to federal roads alone.
Background on FRSC Authority
The Federal Road Safety Commission was established by Decree 45 of 1988 (now FRSC Act Cap F19 LFN 2004) with the mandate to enforce traffic regulations on federal highways. The recent judgment reinforces that the commission's powers do not extend to roads maintained by state or local governments, which are under the jurisdiction of state traffic management agencies. This decision may have implications for FRSC operations across other states in Nigeria.
FRSC Recruitment Announcement
Previously, Legit.ng reported that the FRSC announced its recruitment exercise for 2026, starting Friday, July 3. The commission called on qualified Nigerians to apply for openings across officer, marshal inspectorate, and road marshal assistant cadres. Applications were accepted online for four weeks through the FRSC recruitment portal, and the agency emphasized that the process is free.
