Why FRSC may impound vehicles

Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has said that officials of the corps may impound any vehicle if an erring traffic offender is arrested and unable to produce his or her driver’s licence or vehicle papers at the point of arrest.

Speaking withTribune Online in Ilorin on Friday, the Unit Commander RS8.17, Ilorin Unit Command of the FRSC, Nasir Mohammed, said that the FRSC is authorised under the law establishing it to impound vehicle documents or papers.

‘For emphasis sake and to avoid ambiguity or confusion among our motoring public, part of the reasons why a vehicle may be impounded is if an erring offender is arrested and unable to produce his or her driver’s licence or vehicle papers at the point of arrest”, he said.

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Mohammed also asked Nigerians to disregard report circulating on social media and other platforms where it was reported that “FRSC is not authorised to impound vehicle documents or papers”.

He also said that the FRSC has the legal power to retain driver’s licence of any erring motorist found culpable in a traffic offence, adding that the driver’s licence belongs to the federal government.

Quoting from the FRSC Establishment Act Section 10(5d,5h), the Unit Commander highlighted the Section that gave the Corps the authority to confiscate driver’s licence and vehicle documents of any erring motorists.

He said that Section 10(5d,5h) states that, “the Corps shall have the power to (d) seize, when necessary, the driver’s licence of any person suspected to have committed an offence under this act and the documents and particulars in respect of the vehicles by which the offence is committed or suspected to have been committed.

(h) Impound any vehicle by which an offence under this Act is reasonably suspected to have been committed.

He advised members of the public to be law-abiding citizens and always obey all traffic regulations to ensure a safe motoring environment.