By TINA TIMOTHY

The Nigeria Bar Association Section on Public Interest (NBA-SPIDEL) has told the Nigerian Police that issuing and demanding Central Motor Information System (CMRIS) certificates from vehicle owners is not a function of the force, hence illegal and must be discontinued immediately.

NBA-SPIDEL disclosed this in a letter dated February 1, 2024, addressed to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, and signed by its Chairman, John Aikpokpo-Martins and Secretary, Funmi Adeogun.

According to the letter, "The attention of the Nigeria Bar Association Section on Public Interest (NBA-SPIDEL) has been recently drawn to reports all around the country that vehicle owners are mandated to register and obtain a Central Motor Information System (CMRIS) Certificate from the Nigeria Police Force for a cost of not less than #6,000.00 (Six thousand naira).

"NBA-SPIDEL also has it on good authority that the men of the Nigeria Police have since started enforcing compliance wherein purported defaulters have been made to part with their hard-earned monies in thousands of Naira.

"In the light of these developments, the NBA-SPIDEL questions 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 licenses or certificates of any nature to vehicle owners after due registration of vehicles in the appropriate office.

"NBA-SPIDEL states further that any such certificate being issued by the Nigeria Police Force without any legal backing is outright 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."

NBA-SPIDEL further said that "these acts of illegality must not continue unabated" and in strong terms, requested that the police boss issues "a directive immediately stopping the issuance of/demand for the CMRIS certificates nationwide."

The letter continues: "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, therefore, humbly but strongly demands that you issue a directive immediately stopping the issuance of/demand for the CMRIS certificates nationwide."

Consequently, NBA-SPIDEL demanded that the police shut down registration websites and centres and "every money already collected from Nigerians be refunded to them within 3 days of the receipt of this notice," adding that failure to comply within 7 days of receiving the letter will result in legal action.

"NBA-SPIDEL further demands that the registration website and every other physical registration centres be shut down, and every money already collected from Nigerians be refunded to them within 3 days of the receipt of this notice. Please note that failure, neglect or refusal to comply with this lawful demand within 7 days of the receipt of this letter will compel NBA-SPIDEL to seek appropriate sanctions in court against your esteemed office and the Nigeria Police Force," NBA-SPIDE wrote.