The news:
- Dr Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police (IGP), has ordered the indefinite suspension of the enforcement of the contentious electronic Central Motor Registry (e-CMR) on vehicle owners.
- On Saturday, July 13, 2024, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) gave vehicle owners in Nigeria until July 29, 2024, to register for e-CMR for ₦5,375 per vehicle or face sanction. Many Nigerians condemned the move.
- According to a post on X, signed by Prince Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) and force Public Relations Officer (PRO), the suspension is to allow for ample time for the NPF to educate the public on the benefits and effectiveness of the e-CMR initiative.
Per the NPF, the e-CMR is an advanced, real-time online repository of motor vehicle data, built to enhance Police investigations and operational activities and combat vehicle-related crimes, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and armed robbery.
Essentially, the development aimed to streamline the documentation and verification processes for vehicle ownership and related transactions.
For the citizens, the latest statement claims that the digitalisation of the process will help the Police ensure the safety and security of all vehicle types, including motorcycles, for example, acting on collated data by vehicle owners to flag the vehicles if reported stolen.
“Similarly, the e-CMR will prevent multiple registrations of vehicles and serve as a database to collate biometric and other data of vehicle owners and individuals, adding value to the national database and incident report portal generated from other Ministries, Departments and Agencies towards general security,” part of the statement read.
Responding to some Nigerians who have described the digital initiative as another avenue for the authority to raise money, the Police assured the e-CMR is not. Rather, it said it’s an initiative to improve policing for effectiveness and general safety of lives and property of Nigerians.
The Police advised the general public to obtain their e-CMR certificate online at the official website. While the enforcement is on hold, the initiative is still on.
The IGP has also ordered all Police officers to refrain from asking for e-CMR certificates since the enforcement, to be done only by a dedicated team, has been suspended indefinitely. The statement warned that defaulting officers will be sanctioned accordingly.
