A Nigerian traveler recently posted a video showing a police officer demanding a bribe, even though the e-CMR policy had been suspended. The incident happened on the Benin Bypass.
According to the traveler, the officer gave them two choices: either pay ₦5,000 or give 5 litres of fuel. This happened even though the Nigerian Police had already announced the suspension of the Electronic Central Motor Registry (e-CMR) enforcement.
Earlier this year, the Nigerian Police said that from July 29, 2024, they would begin punishing vehicle owners who hadn’t registered under the e-CMR policy. But this plan received a lot of public criticism.
One major group, the Nigerian Bar Association, strongly opposed the policy. They gave the police one week to cancel the plan or face legal action. Because of this public backlash, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, decided to suspend the enforcement.
Despite the suspension, the video shared by the traveler shows a police officer still asking travelers for either ₦5,000 or 5 litres of fuel because they didn’t have e-CMR.
In the video, one traveler asked the officer what the issue was. The officer replied, “e-CMR.” When the traveler said the policy was no longer valid, the officer responded, “You can make a call.” The traveler said he had no one to call and asked what to do. The officer answered, “5 litres of fuel.”
The traveler pointed out there were no fuel stations nearby and asked where they were supposed to find the fuel. The officer replied, “You can just go and get it.”
It became clear the officer wanted money. So the traveler asked, “How much is 5 litres of fuel?” The officer said, “₦5,000.”
The travelers then pleaded with the officer to accept ₦3,000. One explained they were returning from their grandmother’s burial and had no more money. The officer did not seem moved by their story.
This video has since gone viral, especially on X (formerly Twitter). Many Nigerians are now calling for action to be taken against the officer for demanding a bribe under a suspended policy.
