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, declaring its enforcement activities within Kano metropolis unlawful.
In a judgment delivered on Thursday, Justice M. S. Shuaibu held that FRSC officers acted beyond their statutory powers when they stopped, questioned, and delayed motorists on township roads in July 2025.
The case was filed by Kano-based lawyer, Abba Hikima, who challenged the commission’s actions, arguing that they violated his constitutional rights to personal liberty and freedom of movement as guaranteed under Sections 35 and 41 of the 1999 Constitution.
The court agreed with the applicant and ruled that the commission’s activities on township roads amounted to an infringement of citizens’ fundamental rights.
Justice Shuaibu granted all the major reliefs sought by Hikima, including a perpetual injunction restraining FRSC personnel from stopping, harassing, or questioning motorists on Kano State roads without lawful authority.
The court also directed the FRSC to publish a public apology in a national newspaper and awarded the applicant ₦800,000 as damages and legal costs.
The dispute arose in July 2025 when FRSC operatives mounted checkpoints on township roads across Kano and stopped motorists to demand driver’s licences and question them despite the absence of any primary traffic offence.
Hikima subsequently approached the court, maintaining that the commission’s powers are limited to federal highways and do not extend to roads under the control of state or local governments.
