The Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has dismissed a ₦950 million fundamental rights enforcement suit filed against the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) by a legal practitioner, Barrister Osita Nnadozie.
In Suit No: FHC/PH/FHR/447/2022, the court ruled that the applicant failed to provide credible evidence to support claims that his fundamental rights were violated by officials of the FRSC Rivers State Sector Command and eight other respondents.
Acccording to the Corps Public Education Officer, Deputy Corps Commander, Osondu Ohaeri, in a statement, the suit stemmed from an enforcement operation conducted on October 2, 2022, along the Port Harcourt–Owerri Road at Elele, where the applicant was reportedly stopped by operatives of the RS6.13 Isiokpo Unit Command for alleged seatbelt violation and refusal to stop for routine checks.
According to evidence presented before the court, the applicant allegedly accelerated his vehicle toward an FRSC marshal during the operation, forcing the officer to jump into a nearby bush to avoid being hit. He was subsequently apprehended and booked for traffic-related offences.
The court also examined events of October 5, 2022, when the applicant allegedly entered the premises of the Isiokpo Unit Command after official working hours and was found taking photographs within the facility. FRSC officials later handed him over to the police for profiling and identification on security grounds.
Counsel to the respondents, through the State Legal Officer, filed a joint counter-affidavit defending the actions of the FRSC personnel as lawful, professional and in line with established safety and security procedures.
After reviewing all submissions and evidence, the court dismissed the claims in their entirety for lack of merit and upheld the conduct of the FRSC personnel involved in the incident.
The applicant had sought damages amounting to ₦950,006,161.25 against the FRSC and other respondents.
Reacting to the judgement, the Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Shehu Mohammed, said the ruling reinforces public confidence in the professionalism and operational discipline of the Corps.
He reiterated the FRSC’s commitment to fairness, professionalism, respect for human rights and the safety of road users, while cautioning against attempts to obstruct lawful enforcement operations or malign officers carrying out legitimate duties.