The Plateau State Government has suspended the activities of Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIOs) in the state from Monday, September 21, following recent attacks and confrontations involving VIO personnel and transport operators in Jos.

The Commissioner for Transport, Davou Gyang Jatau, announced the suspension after an emergency meeting with the leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), tricycle operators’ associations and other stakeholders. The meeting reviewed VIO operations and addressed tensions between officers and transport operators.

Jatau condemned reported attacks and harassment of VIO personnel while carrying out their statutory duties and directed transport unions to produce members identified in video evidence assaulting state officers. He said law enforcement would prosecute individuals arrested without government intervention. The commissioner said the suspension would allow the ministry to review and restructure the VIO directorate.

The ministry has also established a complaint unit with dedicated telephone numbers for motorists to report incidents and grievances involving VIO personnel. The ministry will make the numbers public. Jatau said the complaint system would give motorists a formal channel to raise concerns and ensure complaints arising from VIO operations are addressed.

The commissioner disclosed that the ministry had identified compliance challenges in the transport sector, with an estimated 80 per cent of vehicles operating without valid documentation. He also raised concerns about underage children operating commercial tricycles and motor vehicles and directed relevant authorities to begin enforcing statutory driving age limits.

Jatau further directed that ad-hoc emergency meetings held during disputes between transport operators and VIO personnel be replaced with mandatory monthly meetings between transport unions and the Directorate of Vehicle Inspection. He said the regular meetings would provide a formal platform for addressing operational concerns and grievances before they escalate into confrontations.