Of VIO, Oyo AG and Appeal Court judgment

Abiodun Amole

I wish to once again draw the attention of the Hon. Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Oyo State, Professor Oyelowo Oyewo (SAN) to the sheer illegality being perpetrated by Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIOs) in Oyo State. Overzealous officials of the said agency have continued to flout the decision of the Court of Appeal to the effect that they lack the power to inspect the particulars of private vehicles on the road.  Sequel to an encounter I had with them, I had personally written a letter dated 18th October, 2021 to the Hon. Attorney General, the receipt of which was duly acknowledged by the A.G’s office on same day, wherein I drew the A.G’s attention to the decision of the Court of Appeal, Benin Division in Appeal No: CA/B/378/2016 wherein the court on Wednesday 27th March, 2019 in Kunle Edun v. The Governor of Delta State & 2 Ors. Appeal No: CA/B/378/2016 upheld the decision of the Delta State High Court to the effect that Vehicle Inspection Officers lack the power to stop private vehicle owners on the road and demand or inspect vehicle particulars.

   In fact, the Lordships of the Court of Appeal held clearly that Vehicle Inspection Officers have no business whatsoever being on the road, not to talk of stopping vehicles on the road. According to their Lordships, their duty ought to be performed during the annual renewal of vehicle papers in their office and not on the road. One had expected the Hon. Attorney General to take urgent steps and give effect to the decision of the Court of Appeal upon being intimated with same (assuming the A.G. was hitherto unaware of the decision) being the Chief Law Officer of Oyo State and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria who also doubles as a Professor of law. In essence, the Hon. Attorney General owes it a duty to safeguard the integrity of the court by always ensuring the sanctity of courts’ decisions. The Hon. A.G. is a major stakeholder in the justice sector and must therefore always ensure strict compliance with courts’ decisions.

Unfortunately, the agency of the Oyo State government in question has continued to FLOUT the decision of the Court of Appeal with impunity. This development, I must say is extremely disheartening and constitutes a serious indictment of the Hon. Attorney General. The officials of the agency always lay ambush for motorists near the Apata police station every morning and engage in sheer illegality at will. They were still sighted at that particular spot stopping private vehicle owners and illegally inspecting their particulars as at 27th October, 2021. This must stop forthwith! Any society that fails to embrace the rule of law as it is happening now in Oyo State is heading towards anarchy and chaos with all the attendant dire consequences. That a government agency will refuse for no just cause to comply with the decision of the Court of Appeal and the Hon. Attorney General, as the Chief Law Officer will not deem it necessary to act veryfast and give effect to the decision of the court indeed leaves much to be desired and is indeed a sheer mockery of justice.

I once again implore the Hon. Attorney General of Oyo State to rise up to the occasion and give effect to the decision of the Court of Appeal without further delay. Oyo State must not be portrayed as a lawless state under Governor Seyi Makinde and with Professor Oyelowo (SAN) as the Attorney General.

•Amole is a legal practitioner