The Cross River State Government has banned Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) from carrying out roadside enforcement, restricting their duties to office-based activities.
The decision follows protests by commercial transport operators who accused officials of harassment and imposing excessive fines.
Governor Bassey Otu announced the directive on Saturday in Calabar after a meeting with transport stakeholders, according to a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Linus Obogo.
The move comes after complaints from commercial bus and tricycle operators, who alleged that enforcement teams frequently harassed motorists, issued heavy fines, and demanded inflated penalties.
Under the new directive, VIO officials will no longer operate on the roads. Their duties will now be limited to administrative responsibilities, while other transport regulatory agencies are expected to function strictly within their legal mandates.
As part of the reforms, the government approved a reduction in the daily transport ticket fee from ₦850 to ₦500, while the penalty for failing to purchase a ticket has been cut to ₦10,000.
Traffic-related fines have also been reduced by 50 percent and must now be paid only into designated government accounts to curb illegal collections.
For tricycle operators, the daily ticket fee has also been reduced from ₦1,200 to ₦500. In addition, tricycles are now barred from night operations, with all activities required to end by 6 p.m. each day.
The directives will take effect from March 9, 2026, with the governor urging residents and transport operators to cooperate with relevant authorities.