Stop issuance of Central Motor Information System Certificate – NBA-SPIDEL issues 7 days ultimatum to Police
BY BRIDGET EDOKWE · JANUARY 30, 2024

Dear colleagues,

NBA-SPIDEL DEMANDS FOR IMMEDIATE STOPPAGE OF THE ISSUANCE OF CENTRAL MOTOR REGISTRY INFORMATION SYSTEM (CMRIS) CERTIFICATE BY THE NIGERIA POLICE FORCE


By a letter dated the 29th January 2024, NBA-SPIDEL wrote to the Inspector-General of Police to demand the immediate stoppage of the issuance of the Central Motor Information System (CMRIS) Certificate nationwide.

The attention of the Nigeria Bar Association Section on Public Interest (NBA-SPIDEL) was 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).


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.

Log in to primsol.lawpavilion.com and enjoy the best E-journals, textbooks, and many more

To subscribe to Primsol, go to store.lawpavilion.com.

For further enquiries/assistance, send an email to customercare@lawpavilion.com or call 08050298729

In the said letter, NBA-SPIDEL questions the legal propriety of the Nigeria Police Force to issue Central Motor Information System (CMRIS) Certificates to vehicle owners.

NBA-SPIDEL in the said letter further 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 further demanded 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 the letter and that failure, neglect or refusal to comply with the lawful demand within 7 days of the receipt of the letter will compel NBA-SPIDEL to seek appropriate sanctions in court against the esteemed office of the Inspector-General of Nigeria Police.

Please find attached hereunder a copy of the said letter.

The Inspector General of Police,
Nigeria Police Force,
Force Headquarters,
Louis Edet House,
Garki Area 11,
Abuja.

Dear Sir,

IN RE: ISSUANCE OF CENTRAL MOTOR REGISTRY INFORMATION SYSTEM (CMRIS) CERTIFICATE BY THE NIGERIA POLICE FORCE: A DEMAND FOR THE IMMEDIATE STOPPAGE OF SAME.

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 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.

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.

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.

Please be assured of our utmost respect at all times.

John Aikpokpo-Martins
(Chairman)

Funmi Adeogun
(Secretary)

Copyright ©2022. BarristerNG. All Rights Reserved.