By Matthew Johnson
No fewer than 50 vehicles were impounded on the first day of the Lagos State Police Command’s enforcement of the ban on covered, obscured and unauthorised vehicle registration number plates.
The enforcement exercise, which commenced across the state on Monday, is in line with the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, aimed at strengthening security and preventing the use of concealed number plates for criminal activities.
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Fatai Tijani, personally led the operation in the Ikoyi area of Lagos, where several offending vehicles were impounded.
Police operatives from various Area Commands were also deployed to strategic locations across the state, resulting in the arrest of additional violators and the impoundment of their vehicles.
Speaking during the operation, CP Tijani said the command had issued several warnings to motorists before commencing enforcement.
“We have been warning motorists since last week to display their number plates properly and stop covering them. Today, we have begun enforcement. My officers and I went out this morning and arrested motorists who failed to fix their plate numbers or deliberately covered them,” he said.
According to him, the law applies to all motorists except those specifically exempted by law, adding that offenders may face prosecution.
“There are no exceptions apart from those exempted by law. The law will take its course. There is every possibility of prosecution to serve as a deterrent to others,” he said.
The police commissioner noted that concealed or missing number plates pose significant security risks, making it difficult for security agencies and surveillance systems to identify vehicles involved in criminal activities.
“There are many dangers inherent in not using number plates or covering them. Criminals can use such vehicles for unlawful activities, and road surveillance cameras will be unable to identify them. Even stolen vehicles become difficult to track. This is why we are taking this enforcement seriously,” he added.
CP Tijani disclosed that the impounded vehicles had been moved to the command headquarters, while other offenders were being processed at divisional and Area Command levels.
He warned that the enforcement exercise would be sustained across the state as part of ongoing efforts to improve security and strengthen crime detection and prevention.
