The Federal High Court in Kano has ruled that the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has no legal authority to operate on state and local government roads in Kano, declaring the commission’s activities on township roads within the metropolis unlawful.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice M. S. Shuaibu held that FRSC officers exceeded their statutory powers when they stopped, questioned and delayed a motorist on township roads in July 2025.
The court ruled that the actions violated the applicant’s constitutional rights to personal liberty and freedom of movement as guaranteed under Sections 35 and 41 of the 1999 Constitution.
The suit was filed by Kano-based lawyer Abba Hikima, who challenged the legality of the commission’s operations after he was stopped at an FRSC checkpoint within Kano metropolis.
Hikima argued that the officers demanded his driver’s licence and questioned him despite the absence of any traffic offence, describing the action as a violation of his fundamental rights.
He further contended that the FRSC’s statutory mandate is limited to federal highways and does not extend to roads under the jurisdiction of state or local governments.
In its judgment, the court granted all the reliefs sought by the applicant, including a perpetual injunction restraining FRSC personnel from stopping, harassing or interfering with motorists on Kano State roads without lawful authority.
Justice Shuaibu also ordered the FRSC to publish a public apology in a national newspaper for violating the applicant’s constitutional rights.
The court further awarded ₦800,000 in damages and costs against the commission in favour of the applicant.