In a bold move to uphold the rule of law, Chinedu Agu, Esq., a legal practitioner and former Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Owerri Branch, has issued a final demand to the Imo State Commissioner of Police to halt the illegal enforcement of the Electronic Central Motor Registry (e-CMR) policy.
In a strongly worded letter dated May 29, 2025, Agu decried the persistent harassment and extortion of motorists by police officers at various checkpoints across Imo State, despite the Inspector-General of Police’s (IGP) directive suspending the policy and a prior meeting with the Command on April 24, 2025, which promised compliance.
The letter, addressed to the Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, details ongoing violations, including specific incidents of harassment and extortion, and accuses officers of acting with impunity. Agu’s letter warns of legal action, public advocacy, and escalation to national authorities if the Command fails to act within seven days.
Below is the full text of the letter for public scrutiny:
The Commissioner of Police,
Imo State Police Command,
Owerri.
Sir,
RE: PERSISTENT ILLEGAL ENFORCEMENT OF THE E-CMR POLICY IN IMO STATE DESPITE THE OUTCOME OF OUR MEETING ON 24 APRIL 2025 — FINAL DEMAND FOR IMMEDIATE COMPLIANCE AND IMPLEMENTATION.
I write with profound disappointment and urgency in my capacity as a legal practitioner, former Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Owerri Branch, and a concerned citizen, regarding the continued and unabated illegal enforcement of the Electronic Central Motor Registry (e-CMR) policy by officers under your command. This persists despite the Inspector-General of Police’s (IGP) unequivocal directive suspending the policy, the ongoing litigation in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/192/2024 before the Federal High Court, Abuja, and the resolutions reached during our meeting on 24 April 2025 at the Imo State Police Command Headquarters.
I must first express my sincere gratitude for your personal intervention and exemplary leadership during the submission of my petition on 19 April 2025, as well as the professionalism demonstrated by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Henry Okoye, and SP Nnamdi Israel, the Officer-in-Charge of e-CMR, during our meeting on 24 April 2025.
The outcomes of that meeting, including the detention of the erring officer at the UBA Roundabout checkpoint in Orlu and SP Nnamdi Israel’s clarification that no enabling law supports the enforcement of the e-CMR policy, inspired confidence that the issue would be promptly resolved. Most notably, it was agreed that your office would issue a press release through the PPRO, clarifying that no officer in Imo State is authorized to enforce the e-CMR policy and establish a helpline for victims of extortion or abuse.
Regrettably, thirty-five days after our meeting, no such press release has been issued, and the illegal enforcement of the e-CMR policy continues unabated at multiple checkpoints across Imo State. Reports from my colleagues in the legal profession and members of the public confirm ongoing harassment and extortion at checkpoints along Port Harcourt Road, Nwaorieubi, Roadsafety Junction by Naze, and Atta Ikeduru Road, among others.
Specific incidents include:
1. On Thursday, 1 May 2025, Chukwuemeka Anyanwu, Esq., a senior member of the NBA Owerri Branch, was detained for over an hour at the Nwaorieubi checkpoint for failing to produce an e-CMR certificate, despite citing the IGP’s suspension directive.
2. On Friday, 2 May 2025, Mr. Obidinma Toochukwu was accosted by officers at the Nwaorieubi checkpoint, near the Local Government Headquarters, and detained for several minutes for not presenting an e-CMR certificate. According to him, the officers lacked any identifiable police insignia, raising doubts about their legitimacy.
3. On the same day, Mr. Emmanuel Chigozie Dim was delayed for nearly thirty minutes at the Nwaorieubi checkpoint after refusing to pay N5,000 for not producing an e-CMR certificate.
4. On Wednesday, 7 May 2025, at approximately 11:00 a.m., Mr. George Madufor, Esq., was detained for twenty-five minutes by officers at a Port Harcourt Road checkpoint between Avu and Obinze for the same reason. When he challenged their authority to enforce the e-CMR policy, citing my letter of 18 April 2025, the officers ridiculed him and threatened to take him to the station. However, when Mr. Madufor threatened to contact the PPRO and expressed readiness to accompany them, the officers abandoned the checkpoint and fled.
5. On Monday, 12 May 2025, Kalu Uduma, Esq., was subjected to harassment and a demand to fuel a police van along Naze Road by Ogbo-Osisi for non-compliance with the e-CMR policy. He reported that none of the officers wore identification tags displaying their force number or name.
6. On Thursday, 15 May 2025, Mr. Emmanuel Chigozie Dim faced another distressing encounter at a checkpoint along Atta Ikeduru Road for not presenting an e-CMR certificate.
I personally witnessed officers at the Nwaorieubi checkpoint stopping motorists and demanding e-CMR compliance, causing significant delays and distress.
Having traveled to other cities in the Southeast—Abakaliki, Aba, Enugu, and Umuahia—I observed no instances of police enforcing the e-CMR policy at any checkpoint in those cities. This stark contrast raises serious concerns about whether officers in Imo State operate under a different mandate. It also lends credence to persistent rumors that officers pay substantial bribes for postings in Imo State to engage in extortion. While I do not subscribe to such persuasive rumors, your prompt action is essential to dispel these perceptions and restore public confidence.
These actions by officers under your command not only contravene the IGP’s directive and the sub judice status of the e-CMR policy but also erode the goodwill and public trust your leadership has diligently sought to rebuild in Imo State. The failure to issue the agreed-upon public statement has emboldened erring officers, who now appear to act with impunity, using the e-CMR policy as a pretext for extortion. As our people say, “A son sent on a robbery mission breaks doors with his feet.” This suggests a troubling perception of tacit approval for these unlawful actions.
This conduct constitutes a grave affront to the authority of the IGP, and the resolutions of our 24 April 2025 meeting.
I am therefore compelled to demand the following:
a. That your office, within seven (7) days from the date of this letter, issues a public directive through Imo State-based radio stations, press briefings, and police social media platforms, explicitly stating that no officer is authorized to enforce the e-CMR policy, in strictcompliance with the IGP’s suspension order and the pending litigation.
b. That a helpline be established and widely publicized to enable motorists to report incidents of extortion or harassment related to e-CMR enforcement.
c. That a formal investigation be initiated into the officers operating the aforementioned checkpoints for their persistent defiance, with appropriate disciplinary measures imposed.
TAKE NOTICE that failure to comply with these demands, particularly the issuance of the public directive within seven (7) days, will leave me no choice but to conclude that your office is complicit in this illegal enforcement scheme.
Should this occur, I shall:
i. Institute fresh legal proceedings in the appropriate court to enforce my fundamental rights and those of other affected citizens, as guaranteed under Sections 34, 35, and 41 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), seeking damages and injunctive relief against your office and the officers involved.
ii. Escalate this matter to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions; House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions; Inspector-General of Police; the Police Service Commission; and the National Human Rights Commission for further investigation and sanctions.c.
iii. Mobilize public advocacy through the Nigerian Bar Association and civil society organizations to ensure accountability and expose what appears to be a revenue-generating scheme masquerading as law enforcement in the State of Imo.
This letter is written with a steadfast commitment to the rule of law and respect for your office’s efforts to maintain security in Imo State. However, the continued defiance by your officers undermines these efforts and necessitates immediate action.
I trust that you will treat this matter with the utmost seriousness and act swiftly to restore compliance with the IGP’s directive and uphold the sanctity of our legal system.
Attached is my earlier letter on this matter, dated 18 April 2025.
Yours faithfully,
Chinedu Agu, Esq., ACArb.
Former Secretary, Nigerian Bar Association, Owerri Branch
08032568512
Cc:
The Police Public Relations Officer [PPRO]
The Officer-in-Charge, e-CMR
The Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association, Owerri Branch
The Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association, Mbaise Branch
The Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association, Orlu Branch
The Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association, Mbano/Etiti Branch
The Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association, Okigwe Branch
The Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission
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