The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has for the umpteenth time criticised the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) “for its fanatical insistence to issue the Central Motor Information System (CMRIS) certificate to motorists.” The rights group declared that it is unconstitutional and illegal for the hierarchy of the police to convert the policing institution into a revenue generation outfit.

“It is absolutely absurd that at the moment that the nation is weighed down by a multiplicity of law and order challenges such as heightened state of insecurity and violent crimes which the Nigeria Police Force has failed to combat, the very security agency created as the first line of law enforcers which is the Nigeria Police Force, has become ‘a tax collector’ and a revenue making agency. It Is even unlawful going by the newly promulgated tax laws for the police to constitute themselves into a revenue collection agency when the law does not recognise the police as such,” HURIWA said in a media statement.

It condemned the police “for abandoning its constitutional primary duty of prevention and combating of crimes and criminality in Nigeria but has instead deviated to the strange arena of revenue mobilisation and generation in clear breach of the Nigeria’s 2025 Tax Reform Acts which established the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) known formerly as FIRS as the central tax authority now responsible for collecting all federal tax and non-tax revenues.” HURIWA in the statement released by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, argued that the Nigeria police Force under the current hierarchy are attempting to overstep their bounds and become a revenue-generating agency, which is not within their legal purview.

It stated: "We hereby restate our earlier position that any such certificate being issued by the Nigeria Police Force without legal backing is absolutely illegal, null, and void, and therefore of no consequence. The police which has become a failed security institution should be focused on rebuilding their national structures for effective and efficient policing of the country. The Nigeria Police Force Which is now badly rated as one of the most compromised national security institutions with a massive record of persistent failures to implement the mandate for which the NPF was created. The police should be directed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to concentrate on combating sophisticated and organised crimes just as there is the urgent need for the police to go after armed kidnappers and insurgents terrorising and Killing citizens all around Nigeria especially in Kwara, North West, North Central and South East of Nigeria. The Nigeria police Force should leave revenue generation efforts for the lawfully created agencies. The implementation of this unlawful policy on compelling car owners to pay for tinted glasses is ridiculing the police force.”

HURIWA referenced the Police Act of 2020, which emphasises the police’s role in maintaining law and order, protecting lives and property, and enforcing laws without prejudice to other security agencies.

It noted that the Act does not grant the police the authority to issue licences or certificates for revenue generation.

HURIWA also highlighted that the FIRS or now Nigeria Revenue Service is the sole agency authorised to collect taxes in the country, and the police should not encroach on this responsibility.

The rights group urged the police to focus on their core duties and partner with the Vehicle Inspection Offices (VIOs) for data collection instead of attempting to generate revenue through the CMRIS certificate.