Police Enforcement of Electronic Central Motor Registry and Its Many Controversies 

Following the ongoing enforcement of the Electronic Central Motor Registry, E-CMR, Information System certificates by the Nigeria Police Force, NPF, there have been several kickbacks from a few stakeholders in the country, the latest being from the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law, NBA-SPIDEL, requesting for the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to issue a directive, immediately stopping the issuance nationwide. Sunday Ehigiator writesthat the crux of the matter for those opposing the enforcement was not just that it has become a cash cow at police checkpoints but also the hijack of the major function of the Vehicles Inspectorate Office as backed by law 

The Central Motor Registry (CMR) was founded more than 60 years ago as a key instrument for maintaining data about motor vehicles. However, the way car crimes are evolving in the internet era necessitates a more expansive and sophisticated strategy.

Introduction of the Electronic Central Motor Registry 

To bring the Central Motor Registry up to date with the reality of modern policing, the Nigeria Police digitalised it on January 1, 2023.

In a statement, the force Spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi stated that the E-CMR was introduced as the sequel to the inauguration of the rejuvenated Central Motor Registry (CMR) Unit and flag-off of the first phase of the Stolen Vehicle Report Portal.

He explained that the mandatory registration of vehicle information by the CMR introduced about seven decades ago and done manually was fraught with challenges which the CMRIS would now address.

He added that the digitalised CMRIS would effectively serve the purpose of obtaining additional information from members of the public about stolen vehicles and populating the stolen vehicle database.

“This is to ensure that vehicles to be registered by the CMR are not stolen and would aid investigation of stolen vehicles and vehicle-associated incidents.

“Owners of motor vehicles and members of the public are hereby notified that the new procedure for requesting the NPF CMR service is to create a profile on the E-CMR portal via https://cmris.npf.gov.ng/

“Such services include Motor Vehicle Information, Change of Ownership, Change of Engine/Chassis/Body, Change of Colour, International Motor Vehicle Certificate and International Drivers’ Permit, among others.

“The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) has directed the discontinuation of manual processing and issuance of all CMR documents/certificates and a migration to the digitalised NPF CMR platform.

“Consequently, all CMR certificates hitherto issued by the Nigeria Police Force are no longer valid and are no longer recognised forthwith.

“The IGP urges members of the public to cooperate with the police as the digitalised CMR platform will provide motor vehicle information for robust and proactive actions. This is particularly in crime prevention, detection, investigation, prosecution, and efforts made at enhancing national security,” he stated.

Alleged Compliance Enforcement

With that circular, the police kicked off enforcement nationwide. But soon, complaints began to spring up from motorists who claimed they had been extorted by the police over their non-compliance concerning the certificate.

In fact, sometime in December 2023, the following message circulated online, “Nigerian police is at it again. This time around, it is what they call the Police Electronic Central Motor Registry (E-CMR) Information System.

“It costs N5,000 and it is a yearly thing….A friend and colleague of mine parted with N40,000 for not having it when he was stopped at a police checkpoint on a highway somewhere in the Southeast.

“They collected N40,000 with begging, something that would have been done with not more than N6,000. If you have not done yours, it takes about 20 minutes to do it online with the following information, your NIN, email address, phone number, vehicle registration number, chassis number, engine number, vehicle colour, year of manufacture, model, make of the vehicle etc.

“Just go to the NPF E-CMR website https://cmris.npf.gov.ng and follow the instructions to create a profile and make payment. The certificate will be sent to the email you provided. Then go to a business centre and print out a copy of shikena.

“The breakdown of the cost is as follows: Fee N5,000.00, VAT N375.00, bank charges N190.00, printing, about N200, total cost about N6,000.00. The beauty of it is that you can do it in the comfort of your home any time any day. Don’t fall victim and spend unnecessarily, begging.

“Do it now or meet someone who can do it to help you out. If you go to licensing offices or police stations to do it, they collect as much as between N15,000 to N20,000.

“Where Police demand this is where they know that you do not have a choice (very lonely place and they know that you are at their mercy) other than to part with your hard-earned money.

“If you claim ignorance, they have a copy to show you there. They don’t smile. Tell others, because information is power and many people are not aware of this and are falling victim every day.”

 Just this January, the National President, Committee For Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Dr. Kehinde Prince Taiga, also expressed concern over the manner in which policemen attached to some divisions in Delta state have taken advantage of the new electronic Central Motor Registry (e-CMR), to extort members of the public.

He therefore appealed to the  IGP to extend the time of its enforcement and embark on more sensitisation campaigns to enlighten the public on this online application process, as most drivers, especially those in remote areas are not smart phone friendly and do not have social media exposure to be well informed.

NBA-SPIDEL’s Position

Reacting to the development through a letter directed to the IGP, Kayode Egbetokun, signed by NBA-SPIDEL Chairman, John Aikpokpo-Martins, and Secretary Funmi Adeogun, the group asked the IGP to issue an immediate directive requesting the discontinuation of the E-CMR registration and certificate issuance by the police across the country.

They also demanded that the registration website and every other physical registration centre be shut down, and every money already collected from Nigerians be refunded to them within three days of receiving its notice.

The group described the action as illegal, warning that failure, neglect or refusal to comply with the demand within seven days of the receipt of their letter would compel NBA-SPIDEL to seek appropriate sanctions in court against the IGP and the police.

The letter reads: “The attention of NBA-SPIDEL has been recently drawn to reports all around the country that vehicle owners are mandated to register and obtain a CMRIS Certificate from the Nigeria Police for a cost of not less than N6,000.

“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 money in thousands of naira.

“In the light of these developments, the NBA-SPIDEL questions the legal propriety, which enables the Nigeria Police to issue 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 vehicle owners after due registration of vehicles in the appropriate office. u

“NBA-SPIDEL, therefore, stated that any such certificate being issued by the Police without any legal backing is outright illegal, null and void and, therefore, of no consequence.

“The body of lawyers reiterated that the duty of the police in protecting the citizens and enforcing the law does not extend to collecting money and/or issuing certificates to vehicle owners.

“The letter further noted: “Regrettably, the men of the Nigerian Police 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 (CMRIS) Certificate.”

CSO’s Reacts

Reacting to the development, the National Coordinator, of the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, said, “We in the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) see this as an unmitigated thievery and a brazen attempt by the police to hijack the major function of the Vehicles Inspectorate Office in the states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

“Also, it is distressing that the police rather than focus on its main mandate which is law enforcement, prevention and detection of crimes and criminality, has deviated from these noble mandates and are now chasing shadows and window shopping for other ways of generating revenues for some contractors, consultants and top police officers who designed this unfortunate and illegal contraption they call vehicle registration. 

“Also, we need to realise that for cars that are imported into Nigeria through the ports, the owners are obliged to register with the Nigerian Customs Service and then further register with the VIO.

“So, this duplication of payments imposed on motorists by the police is unacceptable, and we are asking Nigerians to reject this criminal policy whose intent is to extort motorists and car owners.

“The Nigeria Police Force should be compelled to jettison this illegality and focus on fighting crimes and catching kidnappers who are making life unbearable for citizens.

“In the coming days, we may consult other sister NGOs to bring up class litigation to quash this criminality by the police. We in HURIWA will be happy and willing to collaborate with the NBA-SPIDEL to challenge this illegality by the police in the court of competent jurisdiction.”

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In the coming days, we may consult other sister NGOs to bring up class litigation to quash this criminality by the police. We in HURIWA will be happy and willing to collaborate with the NBA-SPIDEL to challenge this illegality by the police in the court of competent jurisdiction