VIO declares `For Sale’ sign on moving vehicles illegal in Abuja

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Directorate of Road Traffic Services, VIO, says pasting “For Sale” sticker on moving vehicles as a way of marketing is illegal and a violation of the law.

Mr Kalu Emetu, the directorate’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) made this known in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, on Sunday.

Emetu said that such act was a violation of the FCT Administration’s transportation master plan.

He noted that a lot of vehicles had been impounded for violating the law, warning car owners to use proper channels of marketing their vehicles

He also said that it was illegal for any vehicle owner to market their vehicles in unauthorised car marts in the FCT.

“We have been impounding vehicles because it is illegal to be marketing your vehicle inside the city without authorisation. Once you put up any car for sale, it is meant to be at the right place.

“Once you put any car for sale, you pay for advertising, and other fees, so if you have a vehicle for sale, arrange with an authorised car dealer to help you sell it,” he said.

The PRO said that once vehicles in an illegal car mart were impounded, a certain fine would be paid on each, depending on the type, before they are released.

According to him, the fine ranges from N50, 000 to N25, 000, adding that the vehicles will also be towed to their office for safe keeping, pending the time the owner pays the fine.

“When we get the fine from you, you will have to write an undertaking that you will not repeat such act again. When all these are done, your vehicle will then be released,” he said.

He, however, said if the offence was repeated even after paying the fine, the car owner would be re-arrested and be made to pay another fine. Emetu said the fine was another way of generating revenue for the government.