VEHICLE PARTICULARS AND EXPIRATION CHECK: WHAT ARE THE ROLES OF NPF, VIO AND FRSC

The case of the Police  harassment and extortion from road users as a result of expired vehicle licence is alarming as many car owners have  to always, part  with huge sums of money to avoid delay.

This is gradually becoming a norm and many Nigerians who ply the roads especially  highways, are ignorant of the fact that, whenever one's  vehicle licence expires, one  is  expected to go for a  renewal  and not give cash(money)  to the Police or Vehicle Inspection  Officers(VIO) which has become the norm  among motorists and tricyclists in  Delta State especially in  Patani, Warri, Ughelli, Eku to mention but a few.

In Nigeria, vehicle documentation is a critical aspect of road safety and legal compliance, involving various agencies with distinct roles. While this multi-agency approach aims to enhance road safety and order, it also requires clear co-ordination and respect for motorists' rights to function effectively.
 The license (document) is  issued by the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), as  it establishes  the link between the driver and the vehicle and  It must be kept in the vehicle at all times. Then, of course, the  proof of ownership is a document that  proves that  the  driver owns the vehicle and this can be obtained from the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO).

An Officer of the FRSC, who preferred anonymity said, to legally drive, one  must possess a valid driver's license, vehicle registration, and other required documents. She added that  it's also crucial to ensure one's  vehicle is in good condition and  monitor any expiration dates on one's  documents.

She further explained  that when stopped by the Police, their role is to ensure road safety and compliance with regulations. They may inspect your license and vehicle papers. If your documents have expired, authorities have the right to impound your vehicle until the issues are resolved.

She noted that on the sidelines of renewal of Licenses and Documents
when expired,you  must  visit the appropriate office to renew them promptly and thereafter a temporary License will be issued,valid for two months.
The permanent license (plastic card) should be available within this time, although delays can occur due to high demand or system issues.

She mentioned that payments for renewal fees should typically be made at designated banks or offices and ensure to Keep proof of payment to show during inspections.

The fines for expired Documents; Driver's License is ₦10,000  while Vehicle Papers Fine is ₦5,000 

She emphasized that these fines must be paid to authorized agencies, and renewals should occur in official offices, not on the roadside.

To avoid deep fakes,
Licenses must be issued from authorized centres to ensure authenticity. Fake licenses are detectable using verification systems, and only genuine licenses are recognized as valid.

However, the process of renewal is faced with system challenges as issuance is  due to logistical challenges, such as centralized printing in Abuja. Applicants are advised to follow up regularly with licensing offices to resolve any issues.

When  the  'A' Divisional Police Officer  at  NPA  was contacted, he refused to comment on the matter but referred  the press crew to  Police Public Relations Officer of the  Delta State Police Command, Asabà SP, Bright  Edafe.

At Ekpan Police  Station, a  Police Officer who  spoke on the condition of  anonymity said,the Nigerian Police is not expected to extort motorists as a result of their  expired  vehicle  particulars. According to the source,  the Police is a friend of the citizens and ought not to  bother  but  guide( direct)  motorists  on the right way to go when the papers are expired or has one challenge or  the other.

He stressed that the Police  have the  right to check vehicle particulars as people  complain  of their  stolen cars in the Police Station  and If there is a case of  stolen  vehicle for instance, the details of that  car will be sent to all the Police Officers at different  check- points to enable them track down the supposed stolen car as  vehicles  pass that route.

According to the source,  Nigerian Police should warn  motorists  and  direct them because the act of  extorting  money from them  is totally unacceptable. "The  main job of the Police on the   highway  is to check   vehicle papers to see the rightful owners of the vehicles on the road, not stolen one. The checking of these papers is  to ensure that  the vehicles are  not stolen  " the source said. 

When the press crew contacted  Vehicle Inspection Officers  (VIOs), the Officer- in- charge in the office  refused  to comment on the matter as he denied to be  the   person in charge and efforts to make him show the crew the person to comment failed as he said, he was not aware of when the officer -in-charge  will be available. 

In separate interviews, many of the motorists  aired their views over their encounter with Police and other security agencies over vehicle licence. One of such is  a motorist who identified himself as A. Ibrahim. He   recounted his experience with men of the NPF. He informed  PebNews crew about  his trip from Benin to Warri. According to him, he met  some Police men who requested for his particulars which he presented. 

After  their  thorough check  and confirmed  that everything was complete,  because, they found a certain amount of money in his car, they asked him to pay the sum of one million naira. According to him, he stood his ground as he did not  see  any  reason to part with such huge sum of money. He  however, was  compelled to part with  N120,000  after much heated  argument. 

Another responded who identified himself  as Agbeh Collins  whose  car is a year old also lamented the ill treatment he received from the Police as he refused to give money after they had checked his vehicle documents and everything is in order. 

As required by the law,  motorists  in Nigeria have the right to request for  proper identification of the  officers who intends to embark on checks on the motorists as regards his vehicle and documents  before doing the  checks. 

The motorists  should also  be aware of the specific documents required and ensure they are up to date. In case of any disputes or harassment, motorists can report to higher authorities or seek legal redress. Understanding these dynamics helps both authorities and  motorists  navigate the complexities of road use in Nigeria.