The state Governor, Bassey Otu, announced the directive on Saturday in Calabar after a meeting with transport stakeholders.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Linus Obogo.

The decision followed protests by commercial transport operators who accused enforcement teams of harassment and excessive penalties.

Commercial bus and tricycle operators had complained that officers frequently issued inflated fines and intimidated motorists during roadside inspections.

Under the new directive, VIO officials will no longer operate on public roads but will focus on administrative duties within their offices.

Other transport regulatory agencies in the state were also directed to strictly operate within their statutory mandates.

As part of broader reforms in the transport sector, the state government approved a reduction in daily transport ticket fees.

The daily ticket fee for commercial vehicles was reduced from ₦850 to ₦500, while penalties for failure to purchase tickets were lowered to ₦10,000.

Traffic-related fines were also reduced by 50 per cent and must be paid only into designated government accounts to prevent illegal collections.

For tricycle operators, the daily ticket fee was cut from ₦1,200 to ₦500. The government also introduced new operational guidelines for tricycles.

Night operations for tricycle operators have been banned, with daily operations now expected to end by 6 p.m.

In addition, commercial bus and tricycle operators will no longer be required to purchase tickets on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

Governor Otu said the reforms were introduced to restore order in the transport sector while reducing financial pressure on operators.

He explained that the Commercial Transport Regulatory Agency would now focus on vehicle registration and approved ticket sales.

The governor also directed enforcement officers to operate only in proper uniforms with verifiable identification.

Meanwhile, the Traffic Management and Regulatory Agency was instructed to limit its duties strictly to traffic management. The new directives will take effect from March 9, 2026.

Also speaking, the Metropolitan Chairman of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Sunday Dennis, said the union would convene an emergency meeting to review the governor’s directives and assess their impact on operators.