By Adewole Kehinde
Vehicle registration in Nigeria began over 100 years ago, and the records have been essentially manual, which in turn has not helped to raise the efficiency of general automotive services in recent years.
Today, the computer has been discovered as a very efficient instrument, which has played a very significant role in the adequate management of information. Besides, it has played more roles in the country.
However, computerization has helped in many areas of life, and due to vehicle owners, the thought of computerising this operation becomes of great importance to wipe out the manual data processing system from which many problems have originated.
I just read a news article on https://barristerng.com/ titled “Stop issuance of Central Motor Information System Certificate—NBA-SPIDEL issues 7-day ultimatum to police.”
I want to remind the NBA-SPIDEL that the Nigeria Police Force is the principal law enforcement and lead security agency in Nigeria.
The pivotal role of the police in the process of criminal justice, right from the detection of crime and arrest of suspects right up to the point of the arraignment of the accused before the court and conviction, has never been beyond doubt.
The police, through the machinery of arrest and detention, ensure that offenders are taken into custody.
They carry out investigations and obtain evidence for trial purposes.
To facilitate this, the police are empowered by statutes to search persons and enter premises to conduct searches whenever necessary.
The police also institute and prosecute criminal trials in courts.
Section 4 of the Police Acts and Regulations lists the duties of the police force to include the prevention and detection of crime.
Car theft is a serious crime. If a car is stolen in the country today, which is a crime, the police are the sole authority to report to and such a vehicle can easily be recovered through the electronic Central Motor Registry (e-CMR), designed to bolster safety and security measures for all Nigerians.
The e-CMR is a comprehensive information system intended to streamline vehicle registration processes, aiming to fortify national security measures.
To further enlighten, the NBA-SPIDEL e-CMR would facilitate swift and efficient tracking of stolen vehicles, significantly increasing the chances of recovery, and leading to the maintenance of an accurate and up-to-date database of registered vehicles, which would aid in the prevention and investigation of vehicle-related crimes such as kidnapping and one-chance activities involving stolen vehicles. The system is also designed to make it impossible for stolen vehicles to be re-registered, adding a layer of security and discouraging criminals from engaging in such activities.
Additionally, the system is engineered to prevent the re-registration of stolen vehicles, adding an extra layer of security to deter criminals from engaging in such illegal activities.
Stressing the significance of this initiative, the Inspector-General of Police reassured the public of the NPF’s commitment to ensuring public welfare. He emphasised that the e-CMR, along with other police-designed applications like the Rescue Me App and Police VGS, are pivotal tools in achieving this goal.
The e-CMR enforcement will be executed professionally, allowing ample time for registration by individuals and corporate entities.
To register for the e-CMR, individuals and corporate bodies can visit the official website at https://cmris.npf.gov.ng The process is user-friendly, and all residents are urged to take advantage of the convenience it offers by completing the registration from the comfort of their homes.
Adewole Kehinde is a public affairs analyst and can be reached at 08166240846.
