NBA sues police IG over vehicle certificate, demands refund

The Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law has sued the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, over the issuance of the Central Motor Information System for vehicle owners across the country.

The police had in December 2023, unveiled CMRIS as one of the means to help the police have essential details of vehicle owners in its database.

However, according to the NBA-SPIDEL, obtaining the certificate from the Nigeria Police Force costs N6,000.

In a letter dated January 29, the NBA-SPIDEL Chairman, John Aikpokpo-Martins, and Secretary, Funmi Adeogun, described the issuance of the certificate illegal and issued a seven-day ultimatum on the IG to discontinue its issuance.

Following the failure of the IG to oblige to their request, the NBA-SPIDEL chair and secretary filed an application seeking to stop the IG and the Nigeria Police Force from issuing the certificate.

The plaintiffs contended that no provisions under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Police Act, or any other law gave the Nigeria Police Force, under the command and authority of the IG, the right, power, or authority to maintain a motor registry or issue certificates of identification or proof/evidence of ownership called the Central Motor Registry Information System Certificate (or in any other name called) to Nigerians.

They also held that the Nigeria Police Force was not a revenue-generating agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria and as such, lacked the right to fix and collect fees for the issuance of the Central Motor Registry Information System Certificate from Nigerians.