Terrorism/theft: Police introduce biometric vehicle registration
The Nigeria Police Force
will from September 16, change
the process of vehicle registration from the analogue Central Motor Registry to
a digital Biometric Central Motor Registration
system.
The BCMR is a technological means of attaching automobile
owner’s personal data to his vehicle for
proper identification and protection.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, explained at a news conference on Monday in
Abuja, that the new system was part of efforts in repositioning the police to
effectively tackle crimes and terror.
Under the system, hand-held machine would be used to verify
the particulars of vehicles, rather than manual checking.
“To effectively combat terrorism, prevent crimes, apprehend
and prosecute offenders, the force will from September 16, change the registration process of
vehicles from the old analogue CMR to new digital BCMR system,” Mba said.
He added that “the decision informing the introduction of
the BCMR is against the backdrop of contemporary security challenges bordering
on terrorism, high incidence of car theft, kidnapping and other crimes.’’
Mba said that the system was designed for forensic analysis
where fingerprints could be matched or verified against registered fingerprints
collected during the registration.
He stressed that the database would be made available to
other sister security agencies.
“We are going to make the database open to our sister
agencies. If for example other security organisations want to carry
investigation and they needed to get information from our database, we will
make the information available to them,’’
the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the FPRO as saying.
According to him,
the new system is capable of capturing 20 million fingerprints per
second, an equivalent of two million people at 10 prints per person.
“As a store of information, it will provide a one-stop
forensic base for all manner of investigations which will greatly enhance
policing in tracking missing cars and preventing crimes,’’ he said.
He added that the BCMR could grab still images from Close
Circuit Television being installed in cities in the country and the footages
could be used to apprehend suspected criminals, thereby enhancing personal and
national safety and security.
Mba said that registration under the BCMR could be done at
designated banks, online and police commands across the nation.
He said that motorists were expected to pay N3,500 to
register their vehicles under the system, while owners of tricycles and motorcycles would pay N1,500 for the registration.
Responding to questions, the spokesman said that the BCMR
was not a duplication of the registration being done by the FRSC but
complementing the commission.
According to him, substantial equipment had been procured
for the system as personnel have been adequately trained to man it.
On the deadline for the registration, Mba said that no time
frame would be given for now.
“We will not give a
deadline for compliance,” he stated , adding that the police had begun aggressive
sensitisation on the need for motorists to migrate from the analogue CMR to the
BCMR.
“First of all, we
want to encourage new car owners to register their vehicles under the new BCMR,
instead of the CMR. We are also encouraging old car owners to migrate to BCMR
not just for national security but for the safety of their vehicles,’’ Mba
advised.
When contacted, the FRSC spokesman, Jonas Agwu, said he just heard of the police decision for the first time.
The FRSC had last
year introduced a new number plate, which it said was attached to individual
vehicles and their owners.
According to the Corps Marshal, Mr. Osita Chidoka, the
introduction of the new number plate was also to enhance a comprehensive
database for all vehicles in the country.
By implication, it was meant to guide against car theft and
other criminal activities that could be perpetrated using vehicles.
The corps had given end of September as deadline for the
procurement of new vehicle number
plates.
Source: Punch
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