Cross River bans VIOs from road operations after drivers’ protests
The governor of Cross River State, Bassey Otu, has banned Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIOs) from conducting road operations across the state, restricting their duties to office-based activities.
The directive was announced in Calabar and confirmed in a statement by the governor’s spokesperson, Linus Obogo. The decision followed protests by commercial bus drivers and tricycle operators over alleged harassment, excessive fines and high ticket fees imposed by enforcement teams.
According to the governor, the measures were approved after consultations with key transport stakeholders and are aimed at easing the burden on drivers while restoring order in the transport system.
As part of the reforms, the government reduced the daily ticket fee for commercial bus drivers from ₦850 to ₦500, while the penalty for failing to purchase the ticket was cut to ₦10,000. Traffic-related fines were also reduced by 50 per cent and must now be paid only into designated government accounts.
For tricycle operators, the daily ticket fee was slashed from ₦1,200 to ₦500. However, the state government announced a permanent ban on night operations for tricycles, directing that their activities must end by 6 p.m. daily.
Governor Otu also said the Commercial Transport Regulatory Agency would focus mainly on vehicle registration and ticket sales at approved rates, while enforcement officers must operate strictly in proper uniforms and with verifiable identification.
In addition, the state’s Traffic Management and Regulatory Agency has been directed to limit its duties to statutory traffic management functions.
The governor further announced that commercial bus drivers and tricycle riders would no longer be required to purchase tickets on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. The new directives took effect from March 9.
However, some transport operators say the announcement does not address certain practices by traffic officials, including alleged “no parking” enforcement against drivers who briefly stop to pick up or drop passengers.
A commercial driver in Calabar, Johnson Ade, called on the government to publish an official list of traffic offences and corresponding fines to prevent impersonation by individuals posing as government enforcement officers.
Meanwhile, the metropolitan chairman of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Dennis, said the union would hold an emergency meeting to review the governor’s directives.
The new measures follow a series of protests by commercial drivers and tricycle operators that previously led the state government to suspend the collection of transport tickets.
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