….as NBA- SPIDEL challenges Implementation, gives Deadline…
By Ola Kay
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Kayode Egbetokun, has issued an order for the immediate suspension of the planned enforcement of the e-CMR- digitalized Central Motor Registry, earlier planned to commence on July 29, 2024.
The order on the e-CMR surfaced a day after the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) had given vehicle owners in the country July 29 deadline to register for the digitalized Central Motor Registry (e-CMR), which costs N5,375 per vehicle.
The IGP’s order was contained in a statement by ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Force Public Relations Officer, FPRO, on behalf of the Inspector-General of Police at Force Headquarters, Abuja.
According to the statement, the move will help guarantee 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 by the Force PRO reads, “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,” the statement read in part.
The IGP therefore 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,” the statement note.
Also, the police authorities clarified further by saying that, the e-CMR is not a revenue-generating platform but an initiative aimed at digitalizing policing to enhance effectiveness and ensure the general safety of lives and property for residents in the country.
On the potential benefits of the e-CMR,
The statement emphasized that the initiative is designed to enhance the safety and security of all types of vehicles, including motorcycles. By collating data inputted by vehicle owners, the system can flag vehicles if they are reported stolen.
It that the e-CMR will provide the 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, the statement revealed that e-CMR will also prevent multiple vehicle registrations and serve as a database to collate biometric and other data of vehicle owners.
“This will add value to the national database and integrate with incident reports generated from other Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, contributing to overall security, the statement emphasized.
But the statement failed to respond to the opposition to the e-CMR initiative by the Nigerian Bar Association, MBA-SPIDEL, which demanded for the immediate stoppage of the digital documentation idea mooted by the NPF.
The NBA-SPIDEL letter to the IGP stated among others that that Nigerian vehicle owners were mandated to register and obtain the e-CMR at a cost not less than N6,000 and condemned what he also accused the NPF that it’s officers were already demanding from vehicles owners as illegal, for its lack of legal backing.
The NBA-SPIDEL statement which was jointly signed by John Aikpokpo-Martins ,Chairman and Funmi Adeogun, Secretary reads mainly as follows:
“The attention of the Nigeria Bar Association Section on Public Interest (NBA-SPIDEL) has been recently drawn to reports all around the country that vehicle owners are mandated to register and obtain a Central Motor Information System (CMRIS) Certificate from the Nigeria Police Force for a cost of not less than #6,000.00 (Six thousand naira).
“NBA-SPIDEL also has it on good authority that the men of the Nigeria Police have since started enforcing compliance wherein purported defaulters have been made to part with their hard-earned monies in thousands of Naira.In the light of these developments, the NBA-SPIDEL questions the legal propriety which enables the Nigeria Police Force to issue Central Motor Information System (CMRIS) Certificates to vehicle owners, particularly when it is not clearly stated in any laws (at least to our knowledge) that the Nigeria Police has any authority to issue car licenses or certificates of any nature to to vehicle owners after due registration of vehicles in the appropriate office.NBA-SPIDEL states further that any such certificate being issued by the Nigeria Police Force without any legal backing is outright illegal, null, and void and therefore of no consequence. NBA-SPIDEL therefore uses this opportunity to reiterate the fact that the duty of the Nigeria Police in protecting the citizens and enforcing the law does not extend to collecting monies and/or issuing certificates to vehicle owners.
“Regrettably, the men of the Nigeria Police Force have since taken advantage of the ignorance of unsuspecting Nigerians by extorting large sums of money from them for failure to present the CMRIS certificate on demand during road search.This illegality has to stop immediately.
“Consequently, the NBA-SPIDEL states that these acts of illegality must not continue unabated and therefore unequivocally demand that the Nigeria Police immediately stop the issuance and/or demand for the Central Motor Information System (CMRIS) Certificate.
“NBA-SPIDEL, therefore, humbly but strongly demands that you issue a directive immediately stopping the issuance of/demand for the CMRIS certificates nationwide.NBA-SPIDEL further demands that the registration website and every other physical registration centres be shut down, and every money already collected from Nigerians be refunded to them within 3 days of the receipt of this notice.
Please note that failure, neglect or refusal to comply with this lawful demand within 7 days of the receipt of this letter will compel NBA-SPIDEL to seek appropriate sanctions in court against your esteemed office and the Nigeria Police Force.”
.
About The Author
