The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has declared a legal battle with the Nigerian Police Force over what it described as illegal and extortionist practices designed to fleece Nigerians under the guise of regulation.
At its quarterly National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held yesterday in Enugu, the NBA, led by its President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, took a hard stance against the controversial Central Motor Registry (NPF-CMR), a programme that compels motorists to re-register their vehicles online at what it called “exorbitant and unjustifiable charges.” The NEC resolved that the initiative is nothing but a cash-grab by the Police, which it reminded “is not a revenue-making organisation.”
In the same vein, the NEC denounced the Police’s enforcement of tinted glass licences, describing the practice as unlawful and oppressive. Osigwe announced that the NBA Litigation Committee has been instructed to head to court in the coming days to stop both schemes.
The NBA-NEC also turned its attention to widespread abuses of human rights. It condemned the dehumanisation of Ibom Air passenger, Comfort Emmason, praising the NBA President for his swift and proactive response to the incident. It equally lambasted the Anambra State Vigilante group, Agunechemba, for the brutal assault on NYSC member, Jennifer Edoho, and vowed to pursue justice for her through the NBA’s Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL).
The NEC further expressed outrage at the Department of State Services (DSS) for its practice of inviting Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) designates to its offices for questioning, branding the move as “arbitrary, wrong and ultra vires.”
The NBA-NEC also reappointed Trustees whose tenure is expiring at the end of the month to another term in office, while alsp approved the appointment of Peter Ape, SAN, to replace the late Yunus Ustaz Usman, SAN, who died on September 11, 2024.Top of Form
The NBA’s move is timely—police enforcement of tinted glass licences has mostly served as a tool for harassment and extortion rather than genuine security.