A Federal High Court in Kano has barred the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) from operating on state and local government roads, declaring its activities on township roads within Kano metropolis unlawful.
In a judgment delivered by Justice M.S. Shuaibu, the court ruled that FRSC officers acted outside their statutory powers by stopping, questioning and delaying motorists on township roads.
The suit was filed by Kano-based lawyer Abba Hikima, who challenged the agency’s operations following an incident in July 2025 when FRSC operatives mounted checkpoints on township roads and demanded motorists’ driver’s licences despite the absence of any primary traffic offence.
Justice Shuaibu held that the agency’s 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 court granted all the reliefs sought by Hikima, including a perpetual injunction restraining FRSC personnel from stopping or harassing motorists on Kano State roads without lawful authority.
The judge also ordered the FRSC to publish a public apology in a national newspaper and awarded the applicant N800,000 in damages and costs.
Hikima had argued that the FRSC’s statutory mandate is limited to federal highways and does not extend to state or local government roads.