The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun has ordered the suspension of the proposed enforcement process on the Electronic Central Motor Registry Registration Process (e-CMR).

The process was initially scheduled to commence on the 29th of July, 2024.

In a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, the relaxation of enforcement is to allow for massive enlightenment to highlight the benefits and effectiveness of the e-CMR initiative, which is designed to ensure the safety and security of all types of vehicles, including motorcycles by collating data imputed into the system by vehicle owners, and acting on such to flag the vehicles if reported stolen amongst other values.

The statement further explained that the e-CMR is not a revenue-generating platform, but an initiative to digitalise policing for effectiveness and general safety of lives and property of Nigerian residents.

While urging members of the public to obtain the digitalised CMR certificate online at https://cmris.npf.gov.ng, the IGP warned all police officers, to desist from requesting e-CMR certificates, as individuals found extorting or exploiting members of the public under the guise of not having e-CMR certificates, will be sanctioned accordingly.

The suspension comes after the Nigerian Bar Association’s Section on Public Interest issued an ultimatum to Egbetokun, demanding the immediate reversal of the directive.

The directive had mandated vehicle owners across the country, to register and obtain a Central Motor Information System Certificate at a cost not less than ₦6,000.

NBA-SPIDEL Chairman, John Aikpokpo-Martins and Secretary Funmi Adeogun of the NBA Section on Public Interest, issued the call in a letter directed to the IGP.

The association questioned the legal basis for the Nigeria Police Force’s issuance of the CMRIS Certificates, stating that no law had granted the police the authority to issue such licences or certificates to vehicle owners following vehicle registration at the appropriate offices.

It demanded an immediate halt to the issuance and enforcement of the CMRIS Certificates, urging the Inspector General of Police to issue a directive stopping the practice nationwide.

They also called for the shutdown of the registration website and physical registration centres, with refunds to be made to those who had already paid.