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FRSC to appeal court ruling restricting it to Federal Highways
The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Dauda Biu says the Corps will file an appeal against a court ruling which restricted its operations to Federal Highways.
Biu said this in a statement by the Corps Public Education Officer, Assistant Corps Marshal Bisi Kareem, on Wednesday in Abuja.
The Court of Appeal sitting in Asaba, Delta, made the ruling in Appeal No. CA/AS/276/2019 filed against the FRSC by a lawyer, Darlington Ugo-Ehikim.
The appellate court on Monday affirmed the judgment of the Federal High Court, which held that the FRSC can only operate on Federal roads.
It dismissed the appeal filed by FRSC challenging the judgment of Justice E. Nwite of the Federal High Court, Warri.
The High Court on Jan. 25, 2019 entered judgement in favour of the Plaintiff, who is a member of the Nigeria Bar Association, Warri branch.
The court also granted all the reliefs sought by Ugo-Ehikim, which include a declaration that the FRSC has no right to operate and/or carry any activity on State and Local Government roads.
The trial court also issued restraining orders against the Commission from operating on roads other than federal highways and also awarded N10m cost against the FRSC
Biu said, “we are aware of the judgement of the Court of Appeal Asaba Judicial Division from the briefing received from our Legal Representatives.
“However, as at the moment, we are yet to obtain a Certified True Copy of the judgement.
“As soon as we obtain same, we would take time to look at the judgement and make an informed decision on it. Until then, we urge the public to remain calm.”
The Corps Marshal said that the implication of the judgement as reported in the media, was that FRSC personnel would not be able to attend to or rescue crash victims on roads other than federal roads.
The Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN has warned against obstructing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from carrying out its lawful duty .
Fagbemi’s warning is contained in a statement in Abuja.
“This is a matter of very grave concern, it is now beyond doubt that the EFCC is given power by the law to invite any person of interest to interact with them in the course of their investigations into any matter, regardless of status.
“Therefore, the least that we can all do when invited, is not to put any obstruction in the way of EFCC, but to honourably answer their invitation.
“A situation where public officials who are themselves subject of protection by law enforcement agents will set up a stratagem of obstruction to the civil and commendable efforts of the EFCC to perform its duty is to say the least, insufferably disquieting’’.
He added that running away from the law will not resolve issues at stake but only exacerbate them.
“Nigeria has a vibrant judicial system that is capable of protecting everyone who follows the rule of law in seeking protection.
“I therefore encourage anyone who has been invited by the EFCC or any other agency to immediately toe the path of decency and civility by honouring such invitation instead of embarking on a temporising self-help and escapism.
“This can only put our country in bad light before the rest of the world’’.
He said institutions of state should be allowed to function effectively and efficiently.
“I stand for the rule of law and will promptly call EFCC, and indeed any other agency to order when there is an indication of any transgressions of the fundamental rights of any Nigerian by any of the agencies’’.
NAN reports that the EFCC had on Wednesday warned members of the public that it was a criminal offence to obstruct officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties.
Section 38(2)(a(b) of the EFCC Establishment Act makes it an offence to prevent officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties. Culprits risk a jail term of not less than five years.
The warning , the EFCC said, became necessary against the background of the increasing tendency by persons and groups under investigation by the Commission to take the laws into their hands by recruiting thugs to obstruct lawful operations of the EFCC.
On several occasions, the anti graft agency said, operatives of the Commission have had to exercise utmost restraint in the face of such provocation to avoid a breakdown of law and order.
Some unknown gunmen have kidnapped Joshua Rogers, the ChannelsTV reporter in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Politics Nigeria learnt that Rogers was picked up close to his residence at Rumuosi in Port Harcourt and to an unknown destination by the gunmen around 9pm on Thursday, April 11.
The reporter was driving his official ChannelsTV branded car when the hoodlums accosted, pointed a gun at him and took him away in the same vehicle.
Rogers was said to be returning from his official assignment in Government House after a trip to Andoni for a government event when the incident happened.
Already, the gunmen were said to have contacted his wife and demanded a N30million ransom for bis release.
His cameraman confirmed the incident and appealed to his abductors to set him free unconditionally.
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