A heart-wrenching video currently circulating on social media has sparked widespread outrage across Akwa Ibom State. The footage, shared by Facebook user Mayor Sylvester, captures a distressing incident where a pregnant woman is violently assaulted by police officers, allegedly from the Itam Police Division, over an alleged violation of the third-party vehicle insurance policy.
The video, which has quickly gone viral, shows the woman being dragged to the ground by officers who seem to show no regard for her condition. The onlookers, who witnessed the shocking display of force, are heard expressing disbelief and anger at the scene unfolding before them.
“This is what the Itam Police Station has turned the enforcement of Third Party Insurance into,” wrote Mayor Sylvester in his Facebook post. “These officers are acting like animals, and I can’t fathom how a pregnant woman is being roughhandled in such a way.”
The video captures a scene where the woman appears to have been dragged from her vehicle after the officers discovered her vehicle lacked current insurance coverage. As the woman collapsed on the ground from the rough treatment, bystanders can be heard expressing their disbelief at the officers’ actions.
Police Brutality or Enforcing the Law?
The incident has drawn sharp criticism from members of the public, many of whom are questioning the actions of the police. In the wake of the viral video, the issue of police brutality in Nigeria has once again come to the forefront. While some are calling for the officers to be held accountable, others are challenging the police’s role in enforcing insurance laws.
A key concern raised by citizens is whether it is the role of the police to check for third-party insurance violations in the first place. “The police in Nigeria already have their hands full with crime and security issues,” said Olisa Eze, a concerned citizen who commented on the viral video. “What is the role of the police in enforcing insurance policies? They should leave that to the insurance companies or relevant authorities.”
The video, which shows the pregnant woman falling to the ground in distress, has sparked a heated debate. Many online commentators have raised questions about the extreme tactics used by the officers in what appears to be a routine insurance check. “This is assault and battery, not just police brutality,” one social media user wrote. “The officers should be held responsible for this horrific behavior.”
Public Reactions and Calls for Justice
The assault has ignited a firestorm of public outrage, with many Nigerians expressing shock over the treatment of the pregnant woman. In the comment section of the video, viewers have demanded justice, with some even questioning the humanity of the officers involved.
“Is this how the Nigerian police now treat women, let alone pregnant women?” commented one viewer. “What happened to respect for life and dignity? This is unacceptable.”
Despite the public outcry, efforts to contact the Akwa Ibom Police Command have yielded no response. Attempts to reach the Commissioner of Police for Akwa Ibom, Bala Mohammed Azare, and the State Police Public Relations Officer, Tifon John, have been unsuccessful. As of the time of writing, there has been no official statement from the police regarding the incident.
The silence from the police has only fueled the fire, with many Nigerians accusing the force of trying to cover up the incident. “They will probably come out with an excuse that the woman was being difficult or uncooperative,” said one commentator. “But the truth is clear — this was an abuse of power.”
The Policy of Third-Party Insurance Enforcement
The enforcement of third-party vehicle insurance has become a growing concern in Nigeria, as the government strives to ensure that all drivers are covered in the event of accidents. Under Nigerian law, all vehicles are required to carry third-party insurance, which covers damages to other vehicles and persons involved in accidents caused by the insured vehicle. However, this law has often been criticized for its enforcement methods.
Rather than offering a streamlined approach where offenders are fined and directed to rectify their insurance status, many Nigerians claim that the enforcement of this policy is plagued by corruption and abuse. “Why not assign representatives from the insurance companies at police checkpoints?” suggested Mayor Sylvester in his Facebook post. “This way, if an officer notices that a vehicle is without insurance, the driver can simply renew it right there.”
This suggestion has sparked a broader conversation about the relationship between Nigerian law enforcement and citizens. Many people argue that a more humane approach to enforcement would prevent such incidents from occurring in the first place.
The Growing Crisis of Police Brutality in Nigeria
The incident in Akwa Ibom is far from isolated. Police brutality has been a long-standing issue in Nigeria, with countless incidents of excessive force and abuse of power making headlines in recent years. The case has drawn comparisons to other high-profile incidents of police violence, including the #EndSARS protests in 2020, where Nigerians took to the streets to demand an end to police brutality.
Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have repeatedly condemned the actions of Nigerian police officers and called for comprehensive reforms to the force. The public outcry over the Akwa Ibom incident only highlights the growing frustration many Nigerians feel about the state of law enforcement in the country. “These officers need to be held accountable,” said another commenter, referencing the widespread anger. “We can’t keep allowing these kinds of abuses to go unpunished. If they don’t face the consequences of their actions, we’ll never see real change in the police force.”
