Dr Emmanuel Shebbs, a lecturer at Abia State University, Uturu, has openly refuted claims made by the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), accusing the agency of deception, institutional abuse, and defamation in a matter that has now been decided by both the Abia State High Court and the Court of Appeal.
Reacting to a recent press statement issued by the FRSC denying wrongdoing in the seizure of his driver’s license, Dr. Shebbs described the agency’s claims as “false, misleading and defamatory.”
“I read with dismay the recent press release by the FRSC, in which they denied any wrongdoing in my case and falsely claimed that their officers never demanded a bribe from me,” he said in a strongly worded statement.
Dr. Shebbs explained that the ordeal began after he refused to offer a bribe to FRSC officers, who then accused him of a traffic offence and unlawfully seized his driver’s licence. The courts later ruled in his favour, declaring the seizure illegal and unconstitutional.
The lecturer provided details of the alleged perjury committed by the Commission during the trial:
“In their counter affidavit, FRSC falsely claimed they had charged me before a Magistrate Court in Umuahia and that I was declared wanted for not appearing. This was an outright lie under oath.”
According to him, his visit to the Magistrate Court in Umuahia confirmed that no such charge was ever filed. The trial judge, Justice I. A. Nwabughogu, condemned the FRSC’s conduct in strong terms, stating:
“…The deposition of the respondents that there is a pending charge has been shown to be a lie. A lie by a public officer in uniform… shows lack of honour and integrity… smacks of impunity — an action now common with public officers in uniform.”
Dr. Shebbs accused the FRSC of lying in court to avoid accountability and to shield their officers from the consequences of misconduct.
The lecturer also took issue with the FRSC for describing him as a “gold digger” in their official press release — a label he said was not supported by the court judgment.
“That phrase was coined not by the court, but by FRSC, in what is clearly a post-judgment smear campaign. This is a reckless and defamatory statement aimed at ridiculing a citizen for standing up for his rights under the law.”
He issued a pre-action notice to the Commission and its officials, warning of legal consequences should they fail to issue a formal retraction.
Dr. Shebbs emphasized that his pursuit of justice transcends personal interest.
“This is about the average Nigerian, especially the youth, who face harassment and extortion daily by uniformed officers. It is about a system where the politically connected drive past roadblocks, while the poor are targeted.”
He lauded the judiciary for its courage in holding the FRSC accountable and urged the Commission to initiate reforms.
“FRSC must learn that it is accountable to the Constitution, the judiciary, and ultimately, to Nigerian citizens,” Dr. Shebbs concluded.
He thanked Nigerians who have supported him throughout the legal battle and reaffirmed his commitment to seeing institutional reforms through.
