Nigeria Bar Association Section on Public Interest (NBA-SPIDEL) has rejected a directive by the Nigeria Police Force that all vehicle owners are mandated to register to obtain a Central Motor Information System (CMRIS) Certificate from the Force for about N6,000.00.
  
The rejection is contained in a letter by NBA to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun. The letter, titled, ‘Issuance of Central Motor Registry Information System (CMRIS) Certificate by the Nigeria Police Force: A Demand for the Immediate Stoppage of Same’, queried the legal propriety, which “enables the Nigeria Police Force to issue Central Motor Information System (CMRIS) Certificates to vehicle owners, particularly when it is not clearly stated in any laws (at least to our knowledge) that the Nigeria Police has any authority to issue car licences or certificates of any nature to vehicle owners after due registration of vehicles in the appropriate office.”
 
In the letter signed by the chairman, John Aikpokpo-Martins; and Secretary, Funmi Adeogun, the law body further stated that any such certificate being issued by the Nigeria Police Force without any legal backing was illegal, null, and void and therefore of no consequence. 
  
“NBA-SPIDEL, therefore, uses this opportunity to reiterate the fact that the duty of the Nigeria Police in protecting the citizens and enforcing the law does not extend to collecting monies and/or issuing certificates to vehicle owners. Regrettably, the men of the Nigeria Police Force have since taken advantage of the ignorance of unsuspecting Nigerians by extorting large sums of money from them for failure to present the CMRIS certificate on demand during road search.
 
“This illegality has to stop immediately.
Consequently, the NBA-SPIDEL states that these acts of illegality must not continue unabated and therefore unequivocally demand that the Nigeria Police immediately stop the issuance and/or demand for the Central Motor Information System (CMRIS) Certificate.”
 
NBA-SPIDEL asked the police to issue a directive immediately to stop the issuance of and demand for the CMRIS certificates nationwide.
HOWEVER, in a statement defending its action, the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, faulted the NBA’s ultimatum to reverse the issuance CMRIS certificate.His reaction is contained in a statement on X.com on Sunday.
  
The statement insisted the police had the right and powers to initiate any approach to curb crimes and criminality in Nigeria, as it was applicable in other climes.
  
The statement reads: “This is unfounded, fake, and misleading. The NBA as a body will react to this. Stop spreading fake news. Who are those who made the statement or declaration, and in what capacity?
  
“I challenge you to share the press statement with me, then we can talk.
  
“Do your investigation on this. The police have the right and powers to initiate any approach to curb crimes and criminality in Nigeria, as it’s applicable in other climes.”

JUST as the FPRO predicted, a late statement by the NBA has disclaimed the statement attributed to John Aikpokpo-Martins and Funmi Adeogun. 
  
The National Publicity Secretary of the NBA, Akorede Habeeb Lawal, in a statement, said the statement was made without the consent or authority of the association.
  
The NBA said Aikpokpo-Martins and Adeogun were removed from their positions as Chairman and Secretary of the NBA-Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL) as of February 29, 2024. 
  
Their removal, along with other executive members, the body explained, was followed by the appointment of a caretaker committee, headed by Sir Steve Adehi, SAN. 

The post NBA asks IG to stop CMRIS certificate as police defends action  appeared first on Guardian Nigeria News.

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