Court Dismisses ₦950m Suit Against FRSC, Affirms Lawful Conduct

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), affirming that the agency acted lawfully during an enforcement operation in Rivers State.

The suit, marked FHC/PH/FHR/447/2022, was instituted by Barrister Osita Nnadozie against the FRSC Rivers State Sector Command and eight others over an incident that occurred on October 2, 2022, along the Port Harcourt–Owerri Road in Elele.

Delivering judgment, the court held that the applicant failed to provide credible evidence proving any violation of his fundamental rights and consequently dismissed the case for lack of merit.

Court proceedings revealed that during the enforcement operation, the applicant allegedly accelerated dangerously toward an FRSC marshal, forcing the officer to jump into nearby bushes to avoid being hit. He was subsequently apprehended and booked for traffic-related offences.

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The court also considered another incident on October 5, 2022, in which the applicant reportedly entered the Isiokpo Unit Command premises after official hours and was found taking photographs before being handed over to the police for profiling.

The respondents, through the FRSC State Legal Officer, filed a joint counter-affidavit maintaining that officers involved in the operation acted professionally, lawfully, and within the provisions of safety and security regulations.

Although the applicant sought damages amounting to ₦950,006,161.25, the court upheld the FRSC’s position and dismissed all claims.

Reacting to the judgment, Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed described the ruling as a judicial endorsement of the professionalism and lawful enforcement procedures of the corps.

According to him, the judgment reinforces public confidence in the FRSC’s commitment to fairness, professionalism, respect for human rights, and the safety of road users across the country.

He also warned against attempts to obstruct lawful enforcement operations or malign officers carrying out legitimate duties.