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KonkNaija Media | May 2, 2016

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Police to begin biometric registration of vehicles

The Nigeria Police will from September 16, change the process of vehicle registration from the analogue Central Motor Registry (CMR) to a digital Biometric Central Motor Registration (BCMR) system.

The BCMR is a technological means of attaching automobile owner’s personal data to his or her vehicle for proper identification and protection.

Frank Mba, police spokesperson, 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 machines would be used to verify the particulars of vehicles, rather than manual checking.

Mr Mba also said that the BCMR would assist in addressing the incidences of car theft, kidnapping and other crimes, associated with the use of vehicles.

“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,” he said.

Mr Mba said that the system was designed for forensic analysis where fingerprints could be matched or verified against registered fingerprints collected during the registration.

“We are going to make the database open to our sister agencies,” he said. “If for example other security organisations want to carry investigation and they need to get information from our database, we will make the information available to them.’’

He said that the new system was 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 manners of investigations which will greatly enhance policing in tracking missing cars and preventing crimes,’’ he said.

Mr 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 would pay N1,500.

Mr Mba said that the BCMR was not a duplication of the registration being done by the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) but complementing the commission.

On the deadline for the registration, he said that no time frame would be given for now.

“First of all, we want to encourage new car owners to register their vehicles under the new BCMR, instead of the CMR,” he said. “We are also encouraging old car owners to migrate to BCMR not just for national security but for the safety of their vehicles.’’

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