By Augustine Martha Kwaada,Abuja
Police cracks down on fake, concealed number plates
ABUJA — The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has ordered the immediate arrest and prosecution of motorists found driving vehicles without valid number plates or using concealed, defaced and fake registration numbers.
The directive was issued by the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, CP Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, amid growing concerns over the use of improperly registered vehicles to evade identification and detection in the nation’s capital.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, warning motorists against driving vehicles without valid number plates, using concealed or deliberately defaced registration numbers, and operating vehicles with tinted glasses without the required permits.
According to Adeh, the Command is particularly concerned about the use of such vehicles, including SUVs, by criminal elements to avoid identification before, during or after the commission of offences.
The police also warned against the use of fake diplomatic number plates and the unauthorised display of diplomatic registration numbers within the FCT.
Adeh said the security realities of the nation’s capital made proper vehicle identification critical to effective policing, adding that concealed or fraudulent registration numbers could frustrate efforts by security agencies to trace vehicles linked to criminal activities.
Consequently, CP Sanusi directed police officers across the FCT to intensify enforcement and ensure strict compliance with existing laws governing vehicle identification and the use of tinted glasses.
The Commissioner, however, cautioned officers deployed for the enforcement exercise against extortion, directing them to conduct their duties professionally and within the law.
The Command urged residents to cooperate with the police and report suspicious vehicles and activities to the nearest police station.
