IG orders recovery of 612 stolen vehicles

The Inspector General of Police (IGP)  Kayode Egbetokun, has directed the immediate investigation and recovery of a second batch of 612 vehicles flagged as stolen on the Electronic Central Motor Registry (e-CMR) platform.

He also ordered the investigation of over 1,610 vehicles with conflicting registration information on the platform.

The e-CMR is an advanced, real-time online repository of motor vehicle data, designed to support police investigations, operational activities, and combat vehicle-related crimes, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and armed robbery. It was introduced by the police in July 2024.

According to a statement from the Force Headquarters on Friday, the police explained that one of the cars stolen from Abuja was recovered after the buyer applied for a CMR certificate, triggering an alert that flagged the vehicle as stolen.

The police added that subsequent investigations revealed the vehicle had been re-registered twice in an attempt to conceal its stolen status.

The police also noted that a member of the vehicle theft syndicate had been arrested and would face charges soon.

The statement read in part: “Two weeks ago, the IGP directed an immediate investigation to recover a second batch of 612 vehicles reported/flagged as stolen on the e-CMR platform.

“In the same vein, 1,610 vehicles with conflicting information have been referred for investigation.

“The first batch of seven vehicles reported/flagged as stolen on the e-CMR platform were referred for investigation, out of which three have been detected/recovered. The one stolen from Abuja was recovered in Ilorin, Kwara State, and brought back to Abuja over the weekend to be handed back to the rightful owner.

“The owner had reported the vehicle as stolen on the Stolen Vehicle Portal and provided the details of the vehicle. The innocent buyer applied to obtain the CMR certificate, but the system triggered an alert that the vehicle had been reported/flagged as stolen. This prompted a police investigation that led to the recovery.

“It is interesting to observe that the stolen vehicle was re-registered twice after it was stolen by the criminals. This was meant to completely eliminate any trace whatsoever of the vehicle… it is similar to money laundering.

“The syndicate specialising in vehicle theft has been busted, and one of the gang members has been arrested and will be charged to court as soon as all investigation activities have been duly completed.”

The police said it was collaborating with other agencies to ensure the security and safety of citizens’ vehicular assets across the federation.