DIPLOMAN TIMES

Plateau State temporarily suspended Vehicle Inspection Office road operations through September 27, 2026 and began a two-day stakeholder consultation after physical assaults on VIO officers, with discussions focused on enforcement procedures, public communication and legal safeguards.

The Plateau State Government has temporarily suspended road operations by the Vehicle Inspection Office across the state following recent physical assaults on inspection officers by motorists. The suspension, which the Commissioner for Transport, Davou Gyang Jatau, said would remain in effect until September 27, 2026, was accompanied by a two-day advocacy and consultation exercise involving key institutions in Jos. The government presented the measure as part of a broader review of field operations and enforcement procedures.

Jatau said the primary responsibility of the VIO is enforcement for road safety and protection of road users rather than revenue generation. The first day of the consultation began at the Nigerian Union of Journalists Press Centre, where the ministry engaged the media on transport-sector reforms and the communication of enforcement responsibilities. The NUJ leadership said journalists would report the issues surrounding transport administration while continuing to hold government accountable.

The delegation subsequently met officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps to discuss inter-agency enforcement protocols, motor vehicle administration procedures and possible joint capacity-building for field officers. FRSC Zonal Commandant Adeleja S. Ogungbemi condemned the attacks on VIO personnel and said continuous training was necessary to equip officers to handle difficult road encounters without escalating confrontations.

At the Nigerian Bar Association's Jos Metropolitan Branch, Jatau discussed two recent incidents along Constitution Hill and Ahmadu Bello Way in Jos in which motorists allegedly assaulted VIO personnel carrying out statutory duties. The commissioner also cited preliminary ministry research indicating that nearly 80 per cent of vehicle owners in the state operate without valid vehicle particulars. That figure is an official preliminary claim and has not been independently established within the source material. The NBA said it would support public legal enlightenment on citizens' rights and constitutional limits.

The suspension therefore remains a temporary administrative measure while the state reviews enforcement arrangements and engages institutional stakeholders. The source establishes that the consultation involves the media, road-safety authorities and legal professionals and that the suspension runs through September 27. It does not establish a permanent restructuring of VIO operations. The immediate position is that road enforcement has been paused temporarily while the government evaluates protocols and seeks to address the circumstances that led to the reported assaults.