The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has declared war against the Nigerian Police Force over what it described as illegal and extortionist practices designed to swindle Nigerians under the pretence of regulation.
The group recently blasted the Nigerian Police Force for the controversial Central Motor Registry (NPF-CMR), a programme that forces car owners to re-register their vehicles online.
Describing the charges as “exorbitant and unjustifiable” at its quarterly National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held yesterday in Enugu, NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, revealed that the initiative is clearly a cash-grab by the Police.
Mazi Afam warned the Nigeria Police Force to remember that it is not a revenue-making organisation, stressing that the enforcement of tinted glass licences is also unlawful and oppressive.
According to him, the NBA Litigation Committee has already been ordered to go to court in the coming days to eradicate both schemes as soon as possible.
The NBA-NEC further criticized the widespread abuses of human rights, condemning the way Ibom Air passenger Comfort Emmason was dehumanised weeks ago.
Hailing NBA President for his quick response to the Ibom Air incident, the NBA-NEC rebuked the Anambra State Vigilante group, Agunechemba, for the brutal assault on NYSC member, Jennifer Edoho, pledging to seek justice for her via the NBA’s Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL).
The National Executive Council also called out the Department of State Services (DSS) for its habit of inviting Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) designates to its offices for questioning, tagging the practice “wrong and arbitrary.”
The NBA-NEC concluded by reappointing Trustees, with expiring tenures at the end of the month, to another term in office, while also approving the appointment of Peter Ape, SAN, to replace the late Yunus Ustaz Usman, SAN, who died on the 11th of September, 2024.
