The Court of Appeal in Owerri, Imo State, has ruled that the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) does not have the legal authority to seize drivers’ licenses, vehicles, or related documents without lawful justification.

This decision was made in Appeal No: CA/OW/199/2022, which was filed by the FRSC, the Corps Marshal, and an officer identified by Uniform No. COSS 35 (referred to as the 1st to 3rd Appellants), against Dr. Emmanuel Ugochukwu Shebbs (the Respondent).

The appellate court upheld the earlier judgment of the High Court of Abia State, which had determined that such seizures violate fundamental human rights.

Delivering a unanimous judgment, Justices Amina Audi Wambai, M. Lawal Abubakar, and Ntong F. Ntong confirmed the FRSC’s liability for the rights violation. However, the court reduced the damages awarded to the respondent from N30 million to N10 million, which included both general and exemplary damages.

The case originated from an incident in 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdown, when FRSC officers stopped Shebbs along Bende Road in Umuahia. He reported that, after inspecting his car and finding no faults, the officers demanded a bribe. When he refused, they conducted another inspection, claimed that his tire was worn out, and subsequently confiscated his driver’s license while issuing a N3,000 ticket.

Rather than pay the fine, Shebbs sought redress in the High Court in Abia, arguing that the unlawful seizure of his license violated his fundamental rights

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has released the deployment list for the 2025 Batch ‘B’ Stream I prospective corps members.

The announcement was made on Monday via the scheme’s official Facebook page.

All Prospective Corps Members (PCMs) are advised to log in to the NYSC portal to confirm their deployment status. They must also print and sign the Addendum, which is a mandatory document required for registration at the Orientation Camp.

The NYSC issued a safety advisory urging PCMs not to undertake night travels to their assigned orientation camps to ensure their safety during transit.

According to the scheme, some corps members assigned to Lagos State will undergo their Orientation Course in camps located in Ekiti, Ondo, Ogun, and Osun States. Those deployed to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are required to report to orientation camps in either Nasarawa or Kaduna States.

“Prospective Corps Members are advised to print and sign the Addendum, which must be submitted during registration at the Orientation Camp. PCMs are also strongly advised against night travel,” the statement emphasised.

The 21-day orientation program, which marks the official commencement of the mandatory one-year national service, is expected to begin soon.

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has reaffirmed the Commission’s resolve to implement critical post-election recommendations aimed at enhancing Nigeria’s electoral system.

Yakubu gave this assurance on Monday at the INEC headquarters in Abuja during a strategic meeting with the Post-Election Follow-Up and Needs Assessment Mission from the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC).

The ECONEC delegation, which is in Nigeria to review progress made since the 2023 general election, was led by Mrs. Davidetta Browne-Lansanah, Chairperson of Liberia’s National Elections Commission, and Dr. Bossman Asare, Deputy Chairman of Ghana’s Electoral Commission.

Speaking at the session, Professor Yakubu disclosed that of the 37 recommendations presented by the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission (EOM), 13 were directed specifically at INEC. He noted that the Commission had already addressed these through administrative measures, while the remaining 24 recommendations—targeted at institutions such as the National Assembly, the Nigeria Police Force, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), civil society groups, and political parties—were still pending action.

“The Commission has acted on all recommendations within its purview and awaits the conclusion of legislative reviews for those outside its administrative control,” Yakubu said.

He added that INEC had not only considered these recommendations but also published a comprehensive response document, aligning many of them with the Commission’s broader electoral reform plan, which includes 142 proposals derived from consultations with various stakeholders.

“These reports and documents have been made available to the ECONEC delegation in both digital and hard copies,” Yakubu noted, emphasising that the follow-up mission serves as an important mechanism for reinforcing electoral credibility within the West African sub-region.

He praised ECONEC’s consistent engagement with member states and described INEC’s participation in similar missions, including one to The Gambia earlier in the year, as part of a mutual commitment to regional democratic development.

The ECONEC team is also scheduled to meet with other relevant institutions, including the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), as part of its mission.

Professor Yakubu also acknowledged the contributions of international partners such as the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA), International IDEA, and the German development agency GIZ, all of whom had representatives in the ECONEC team.

He commended the ECONEC Secretariat for its professionalism and expressed optimism about the outcome of the meeting.

“We anticipate a fruitful engagement that will advance the cause of credible elections and democratic consolidation in Nigeria and across the region,” he concluded.