The Federal Road Safety Corps has impounded over 350 vehicles with unauthorised number plates within one month nationwide, reports the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
The Corps Public Education Officer, Mr Olusegun Ogungbemide, made this known in an interview with newsmen on Monday in Abuja.
NAN reports that on February 3, the FRSC began a nationwide operation to impound vehicles with unauthorised number plates.
The operation is targeted at vehicles with fake registration numbers and illegal use of number plates by private, commercial, government, and diplomatic vehicles.
Ogungbemide said that the corps launched the nationwide operation to enhance road safety and national security.
”The initial intervention, which began in Abuja, targeted vehicles bearing fake diplomatic numbers, unrecognised number plates, and other related infractions.
“The proliferation of fake number plates, poses significant security risks, undermining law enforcement efforts and compromising national security,” he said.
He said the first intervention took about two weeks in Abuja, the pilot location and was extended to all other states of the federation.
He stated, “We impounded 350 vehicles in one month of the operation.
“We impounded vehicles using fake diplomatic numbers, unrecognised number plates. We don’t know where they were printed from and we don’t know who gave them the permission.
“The enforcement is still ongoing. You know it is not the issue of road safety alone. It goes into security too because a situation where you have proliferation of number plates all over the place is a major issue when it comes to the issue of security.
“That is why we are concerned over it and that’s why we believe the right thing must be done.”
The FRSC spokesman urged vehicle owners to acquire legal number plates through the National Vehicle Identification Scheme, stressing that the process was simple and affordable.
Ogungbemide explained that vehicle owners could register their vehicles under the NVIS, which provides a secure and reliable means of identifying vehicles.
He cautioned against the use of “fancy number plates” without proper authorisation, warning that such actions would attract sanctions.
He noted that while fancy number plates may be desirable, they must be obtained through legitimate means to avoid compromising road safety and national security.
“There is what we call Fancy Number Plates under the NVIS. If you feel you want to use a fancy number, if you can afford it, you go for it in a legal way.
“It is wrong for anyone to just pick up a board and write his name on it. This country has laws, so things are to be done according to the laws.
“For number plates, the process is very simple. Vehicle owners who can afford millions of naira to acquire a vehicle should be able to spend a few thousand naira to get a legal number plate. It’s a matter of prioritising safety and security,” he said.
Ogungbemide reiterated the commitment of the corps towards ensuring that all vehicles on Nigerian roads operate with legitimate number plates.
He urged the public to cooperate with its personnel and to report any suspicious number plates to the nearest FRSC office.
