The proposed enforcement of e-CMR which was initially scheduled to commence on July 29, 2024, has been suspended with immediate effect.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kyode Egbetokun, gave the order.
Some hours before this, Nigeria Police Force (NPF) had directed vehicle owners to register for digitalized Central Motor Registry (e-CMR), which costs N5,375 per vehicle, before July 29.
The directive was sent to the public through a statement issued by Inspector-General of Police at Force Headquarters, Abuja, and released by Force Public Relations Officer (PRO), ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi:
According to the statement; the suspension aims to provide ample opportunity for mass enlightenment and education of all citizens and residents on the process, benefits, and effectiveness of the e-CMR in solving vehicle-related crimes and protecting individual and corporate vehicle ownership.
The statement read: “The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, has ordered an immediate suspension of the proposed enforcement of the e-CMR initially scheduled to commence on the 29th of July, 2024.
“This is to give ample opportunity for mass enlightenment and education of all citizens and residents on the process, benefits and effectiveness in solving the challenge of vehicle-related crimes, and protection of individual and corporate vehicle ownership.
“In light of the suspension, the IGP has directed all police officers to refrain from requesting e-CMR certificates. Any officer found extorting or exploiting members of the public under the pretence of enforcing e-CMR compliance will face sanctions.”
NPF further noted that e-CMR is not a revenue-generating platform but rather an initiative aimed at digitalizing policing to enhance effectiveness and ensure general safety of lives and property for residents of Nigeria.
It also emphasized the potential benefits and effectiveness of the e-CMR, noting that the initiative is designed to enhance safety and security of all types of vehicles, including motorcycles.
The statement added that, by collating data inputted by vehicle owners, the system can flag vehicles if they are reported stolen.
Also, e-CMR will provide Police Force with a firsthand database to curb vehicular crimes, allowing dedicated officers to access real-time comprehensive data of every vehicle on their tablets.
In addition, it will prevent multiple vehicle registrations and serve as a database to collate biometric and other data of vehicle owners.
In doing this, national database and integration will gain more value with incident reports generated from other Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, contributing to overall security.
