A federal high court in Kano has barred the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) from operating on state and local government roads.
According to Daily Trust, the court also ruled that the corps’ activities on township roads within the Kano metropolis are illegal and violate citizens’ fundamental human rights.
The presiding judge, M.S. Shuaibu, delivered the judgment on Thursday in favor of Abba Hikima, a Kano-based lawyer who filed a lawsuit against the FRSC following its operations in July 2025.
The judge ruled that Federal Road Safety Corps officials exceeded their statutory authority by stopping, questioning, and detaining motorists on township roads.
He added that these actions violated the fundamental rights to personal liberty and freedom of movement guaranteed under Sections 35 and 41 of the 1999 Constitution.
Consequently, the judge granted all of Hikima’s requests, issuing a perpetual injunction restraining FRSC officials from stopping or harassing motorists on Kano State roads without proper legal authorization.
Additionally, the judge directed that the corps issue a public apology in a national publication and pay the applicant N800,000 in damages and fees.
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Backstory…
The lawsuit stemmed from an incident in July 2025, when FRSC operatives set up checkpoints on Kano township roads and pulled over motorists—including Hikima—demanding driver’s licenses and questioning them, despite the absence of any major traffic infraction.
Hikima then approached the federal high court, claiming that the corps had illegally infringed his fundamental rights.
He stated that the FRSC’s statutory obligation applies exclusively to federal roadways and not to state or local government roads.
The ruling adds a new dimension to the long-running debate over the scope of the Federal Road Safety Corps’ (FRSC) powers and its operations on roads outside the federal highway network.
Meanwhile, the court’s decision is therefore expected to reignite debate over the constitutional division of responsibilities between federal and state authorities.
