The Nigeria Police and the Federal Road Safety Corps on Wednesday, in Abuja, disagreed over who has the right to issue vehicle number plates and keep the database of vehicles in Nigeria.
This was at the public hearing on the controversial new vehicle plates and driver’s licence by the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-governmental Affairs.
While the police said it was the exclusive responsibility of the State Motor Licensing Authority to issue the driving and vehicle documents and the police maintain the database, it is the FRSC that is at present handling it.
A deputy Inspector General of Police, Olajide akano, presented the position of the police at the hearing while the FRSC Corps Marshal, Osita Chidoka, represented his commission.
Akano said new number plate registration and driver’s licence upgrading by the FRSC were illegal and a violation of the Act setting up the commission.
He told the committee that the police had already concluded arrangements on an electronic data system, Enhanced Central Motor Registration, which would capture vehicle registration in the country electronically.
He said the system would address the security challenges of the country.
But Chidoka said the ECMR programme of the police had been faulted and declared illegal by the Joint Tax Board.
He presented the communique of the meetings of the JTB in Nasarawa and Kano States to the Senate committee to back up his claim.
He said it remains the responsibility of the FRSC, as stipulated by the FRSC Act, to issue number plates and keep the data of vehicles.