Agberen To Delta Police: Sensitise Vehicle Owners On Third-Party Insurance Registration Before Enforcement

By Daniel Dafe

Comr. (Amb) Derrick Oritsematosan Agberen, National Coordinator, Initiative For Social Rights Concerns And Advancement (ISRCA) AKA “No Justice, No Peace” has said that “:in accordance with the directives issued by the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun regarding the third-party motor vehicle insurance policy, and to ensure adequate compensation for accident victims, the Delta State Police Command must take all necessary steps, firstly to educate Deltan residents on the importance of third-party insurance and the mandatory registration process for all vehicle owners and not mainly focusing on its enforcement plans.”

He said this in a statement on Thursday.

He was reacting to a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Bright Edafe, on behalf of the Delta State Command on February 4, 2025, where he hinted that a police monitoring team had commenced monitoring vehicles to ensure compliance with the policy, adding that a mobile court has been established to prosecute defaulters.

He continued: “While I am appealing to the Commissioner of Police, Delta state Command; CP. Olufemi Abaniwonda, to take special interest on this exercise especially in the manner in which the Police Command carries out its enforcement, considering the attitudes of some junior Police operatives who take advantages of unsuspecting members of the public to extort them while enforcing their duties.

“The third-party insurance enforcement processes should not be perceived as an overly stringent procedure, where defaulters are unfairly treated or detained. Many vehicle owners are also unaware of the process and lack knowledge on how to comply to its directives. Its monitoring processes can initially sensitize the populace for a period instead of imposing penalties at the outset, referring offenders to mobile courts.”

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According to him, “the Delta Police Command should first establish integrity standards while enforcing this process,” noting that “failure to do so may trigger or escalate conflicts between the police and vehicle owners, given the current economic hardship experienced by the people.”

He said further: “However, I call on the Commissioner of Police, Delta state Command; CP. Olufemi Abaniwonda to first consider the idea of sensitizing Delta residents through numerous media platforms before effecting a monitoring exercise.”