FRSC sued over new number plates

A Lagos lawyer Barrister Emmanuel Ofoegbu has sued the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) over the issuance of new plate numbers for motorists in the country.

In a suit FHC/L/CS/ 1332/13 filed before a Lagos Federal High Court yesterday the applicant is seeking a declaration that the threat by the respondents to arrest and impound the vehicles of motorists who failed to acquire the new numbers from Oct. 1, is unconstitutional.
He said the old plate numbers were issued under the provisions of the National Road Traffic Regulations (NRTR) 2004.
According to him, the NRTR 2004, is a subsidiary legislation made under the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Act, Laws of the Federation as revised in 2004.

He said the NRTR 2012, in Regulations 230 (2), provides that the revocation of the 2004 Regulations shall not affect anything done or purported to be done pursuant to that Regulation.
He  averred that there is no law made in accordance with the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which prohibits the use of the old plate numbers or declares its use as an offence.
He therefore prays the court to declare  as unlawful, the threat by the respondent, to arrest motorists using the old plate numbers, because there is no law validly made in accordance with the constitution, prohibiting its use.