An Ibadan-based lawyer, Barrister Abiodun Amole, has asserted that the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, and his officers do not possess the authority to enforce third-party insurance regulations in Nigeria.
Amole made these statements during an interview with DAILY POST in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Saturday. His comments come in response to Egbetokun’s recent directive for police officers to enforce third-party insurance nationwide.
Describing the police action as illegal and unconstitutional, Amole emphasized that the Police Act serves as the governing law that regulates police operations and powers in Nigeria.
“In my humble opinion, the police lack the power to enforce the third party insurance policy among motorists in Nigeria,” he stated. He further explained that an insurance policy is fundamentally a contract between the insurer and the insured, making it outside the police’s jurisdiction to enforce such agreements.
“The police cannot assume powers not granted to them by law,” Amole added. “The law is clear that anything not explicitly stated in a statute cannot be inferred or added by any interpretation.”
He referenced judicial precedents, including the case of UTB v. Ukpabi (NWLR PT. 670), to support his argument that provisions not included in a statute are automatically deemed excluded.
“If it had been the intention of the legislature for the Nigeria Police to enforce third party insurance policies, it would have been clearly stated in the Police Act. Since it is not mentioned, it cannot be interpreted or imposed by police authorities under any circumstances,” Amole concluded.
