Federal High Court Bars FRSC from Routine Operations on Kano State, Local Government Roads

By Suleiman Ahmad Ramat

The Federal High Court sitting in Kano has ruled that the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has no legal authority to carry out routine enforcement operations on roads under the control of the Kano State Government and its local government councils, declaring such activities unlawful and unconstitutional.

Justice M. S. Shuaibu delivered the landmark judgment on Thursday, holding that the FRSC acted outside the powers granted to it by law when its personnel mounted checkpoints and stopped motorists on township roads in Kano State in July 2025.

The suit was filed by Kano-based legal practitioner, Abba Hikima, who challenged the legality of the corps’ operations after FRSC officials stopped him on a township road and demanded his driver’s licence despite the absence of any primary traffic offence.

Court Finds Violation of Constitutional Rights

In his judgment, Justice Shuaibu held that the actions of the FRSC infringed on the applicant’s fundamental rights to personal liberty and freedom of movement as guaranteed under Sections 35 and 41 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

The court ruled that routine stop-and-search operations carried out by the corps on state and local government roads lacked legal backing under the circumstances presented before the court.

FRSC’s Powers Limited to Federal Highways

The court further held that the statutory responsibilities of the Federal Road Safety Corps are confined to federal highways and do not automatically extend to roads under the jurisdiction of state and local governments unless expressly authorised by law.

Justice Shuaibu concluded that the corps exceeded its statutory mandate by conducting routine enforcement activities on Kano State roads.

Court Grants All Reliefs Sought

The court granted all the reliefs sought by the applicant, including a perpetual injunction restraining the FRSC, its officers, agents and representatives from mounting checkpoints, stopping motorists or carrying out routine enforcement operations on Kano State and local government roads.

The judgment also ordered the FRSC to publish a public apology to the applicant in a national daily newspaper for violating his constitutional rights.

In addition, the court awarded ₦800,000 as damages and litigation costs in favour of the applicant.

Judgment May Shape Future Road Safety Enforcement

The ruling is expected to spark legal and policy debates over the constitutional limits of federal agencies operating within states and the scope of the Federal Road Safety Corps’ enforcement powers.

Legal observers say the decision could influence future interpretations of the FRSC’s statutory responsibilities, particularly regarding routine enforcement on roads that are not under federal jurisdiction.