A Federal High Court in Lagos has issued a ruling barring the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) from arresting drivers or imposing penalties for vehicles with faded number plates.
Justice Akintayo Aluko delivered the decision on Friday, after hearing a suit filed by legal practitioner Chinwike Chamberlain Ezebube against the FRSC.
In his suit, Ezebube argued that the FRSC, as the sole body responsible for designing and producing vehicle number plates in Nigeria, should be held accountable for the poor quality and durability of the plates.
He further contended that the FRSC should not penalize or arrest drivers for having faded plates caused by substandard production.
Ezebube sought a court order to prevent the FRSC from declaring driving with a faded number plate an offense, imposing fines, or taking punitive action against drivers.
He also requested that the FRSC be ordered to replace faded plates at no additional cost to vehicle owners.
In response, the FRSC’s legal team requested the court dismiss the suit.
However, the court ruled that while the FRSC cannot criminalize the use of faded number plates or impose fines, drivers have a responsibility to request a replacement from the FRSC upon payment of the appropriate fees.
It further restrained FRSC from penalizing drivers for faded number plates and directing the commission to replace the plates upon payment of the necessary fees.
