IGP Orders Nationwide Ban on Vehicles with Unregistered, Concealed Number Plates

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Olatunji Disu, has directed police commands across Nigeria to immediately intensify enforcement operations against vehicles operating without registration numbers and those using concealed, defaced, covered, or altered number plates.

The directive was issued during a conference with Strategic Police Managers in Abuja, where the IGP expressed concern over the growing number of vehicles on Nigerian roads that cannot be properly identified due to missing or tampered registration plates.

According to the police chief, the practice poses a serious threat to public safety and national security, as criminals often exploit unregistered vehicles to commit offences and evade detection by security agencies. He stressed that every vehicle operating on public roads must be properly registered and display approved registration numbers in accordance with existing laws.

The IGP stated that the Nigeria Police Force would no longer tolerate what he described as acts of impunity involving vehicles without registration plates or those with deliberately obscured identification numbers. He warned that any vehicle found without valid number plates or with concealed, altered, or tampered registration numbers would be stopped, grounded, and subjected to the appropriate legal process.

Disu emphasized that vehicle registration is more than an administrative requirement, describing it as a critical tool for crime prevention, intelligence gathering, and national security. He noted that kidnappers, terrorists, and other criminal elements frequently rely on unregistered vehicles to avoid identification during criminal operations.

To ensure compliance, the IGP directed all Commissioners of Police, tactical commanders, and heads of police formations nationwide to commence strict enforcement against offenders. He further declared that there would be no preferential treatment, insisting that the law must be applied equally to all road users regardless of status or position.

The latest directive reinforces ongoing efforts by the Nigeria Police Force to improve road safety, strengthen crime detection capabilities, and ensure greater accountability among motorists across the country. Citizens have been advised to regularize their vehicle documentation and ensure their registration numbers are clearly visible to avoid sanctions during enforcement operations.