The Nigeria Police Force has defended its Central Motor Registry Information System (CMRIS) initiative following criticism from a section of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Force Public Relations Officer, stated on Sunday that the police have the right and power to implement measures to curb crime in Nigeria, as is done in other countries.
This comes in response to the NBA Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL) issuing a seven-day ultimatum to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to halt the directive requiring vehicle owners to obtain a CMRIS certificate for a fee of at least N6,000.
NBA-SPIDEL, in a letter co-signed by its Chairman John Aikpokpo-Martins and Secretary Funmi Adeogun, questioned the legal basis for the police to issue such certificates, arguing that no law grants them this authority.
However, ACP Adejobi dismissed these claims as “unfounded, fake, and misleading.” He stated that the police have been issuing Central Motor Registry (CMR) documents for decades, emphasizing that this is not a new strategy.
Adejobi challenged the authenticity of the NBA-SPIDEL’s statement, requesting to see the official press release.
He asserted that no agency can contest this police initiative and suggested that other agencies should instead collaborate with the police to harmonize the system for the benefit of the country and its citizens.
The police spokesperson maintained that the force has the authority to introduce measures aimed at combating crime and criminality in Nigeria, drawing parallels to practices in other nations.
