Lawyers ask police to end enforcement of vehicle information certificate

The Nigeria Bar Association Section on Public Interest (NBA-SPIDEL) has called on the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to put an end to the central motor registry information system (CMRIS) certificate.

The NBA-SPIDEL made the call in a letter signed by John Aikpokpo-Martins, its chairman, and addressed to the inspector-general of police.

According to information on the NPF website, every vehicle owner is required to register their car and receive a motor vehicle information certificate.

The NBA-SPIDEL said the police have started enforcing the CMRIS certificate, making defaulters pay thousands of naira.

The NBA-SPIDEL said it is not clearly stated in any laws 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.

“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,” the letter reads.

“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.”

The NBA-SPIDEL demanded that the IGP issue a directive immediately stopping the issuance and demand for the CMRIS certificates nationwide.

“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,” the letter reads.

“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.”