The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Kayode Egbetokun has ordered an immediate suspension of the July 29 plan to commence the enforcement of the e-Central Motor Registry (e-CMR).
The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi said this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.
Adejobi said the suspension was to give ample opportunity for mass enlightenment and education of the public on the process, benefits and effectiveness of e-CMR.
The police spokesman said the I-G had urged police officers to desist from requesting e-CMR certificates.
According to him, officers found extorting or exploiting the public in the guise of not having the certificates will be sanctioned.
Adejobi said the enforcement would be done by only dedicated officers from a date to be announced later.
He said it was designed to address the challenges of vehicle-related crimes and protect individual and corporate vehicle ownership.
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Adejobi said the registration would help to collate the data imputed into the system by vehicle owners and act on such to flag the vehicles if reported stolen.
“The e-CMR will provide a firsthand database to the Force for curbing vehicular crimes as dedicated officers can access real-time comprehensive data of every vehicle on their tablets.
“It will prevent multiple registrations of vehicles and serve as a database to collate biometric and other data of vehicle owners and individuals.
“It will also, add value to the national database and incident report portal generated from other Ministries, Departments and Agencies towards general security,” he said.
According to him, contrary to news making the rounds and insinuations about the registry, the Nigeria Police wishes to state categorically that the e-CMR is not a revenue-generating platform.
He said the platform was an initiative to digitalise policing for effectiveness and general safety of lives and property of Nigerian residents.
The police spokesman therefore, called for the understanding and support of all well-meaning Nigerians and residents to key into the e-CMR system.
On July 13, the IG ordered the enforcement of the digitalised e-CMR from July 29.
This, according to the police boss, is to modernise and digitise the motor vehicle registration system, bolstering the nation’s safety and security framework.
The e-CMR is an advanced, real-time online repository of motor vehicle data, designed to support police investigations, and operational activities, and combat vehicle-related crimes, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and armed robbery.
The transition to a digitalised system, according to the police, would streamline the documentation and verification processes for vehicle ownership and related transactions.
