The Kano State Police Command has intensified its enforcement against vehicles operating with concealed, defaced or missing number plates, impounding 81 vehicles during a statewide operation aimed at strengthening security and curbing criminal activities.
The command said owners and drivers of the affected vehicles would be prosecuted in accordance with the law, warning that motorists who deliberately conceal their identities on the roads would no longer be tolerated.
Speaking at a press briefing on Monday, the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Bakori, described the growing trend of vehicles operating without proper registration or with obscured number plates as a major security concern.
“Kano State Police Command has observed an alarming increase in the number of vehicles plying our roads with covered number plates, defaced registration numbers, or no registration at all.
“This is not a minor traffic offence. It is a deliberate attempt to create anonymity. Criminals use such vehicles to commit crimes and escape detection. We cannot and will not allow Kano State to be used as a safe haven for such activities,” Bakori said.
The police commissioner explained that the command did not begin enforcement without first embarking on a widespread public enlightenment campaign to educate residents on the legal requirements governing vehicle registration.
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According to him, the awareness campaign was conducted through multiple media platforms to ensure motorists were adequately informed before the operation commenced.
“Before the commencement of the enforcement, the command had embarked on massive public sensitization through the use of radio, television, social media platforms, and live phone-in programmes to educate the public,” he said.
“We reminded vehicle owners of their responsibility to ensure proper registration and clear display of number plates. We gave ample notice so that no one will claim ignorance,” the police commissioner added.
Bakori also disclosed that officers intercepted three vehicles whose occupants were unable to give satisfactory explanations regarding the ownership and purpose of the vehicles.
“Three motor vehicles with their occupants were intercepted under suspicious circumstances. During preliminary interrogation, the occupants failed to provide satisfactory accounts regarding the ownership and purpose of the vehicles,” Bakori said.
He noted that investigations into the vehicles and their occupants were ongoing.
“The suspects and the vehicles are currently being processed for further investigation. We will ensure that the law takes its full course,” he added.
The commissioner stressed that the operation was designed to improve public safety by ensuring that every vehicle using the state’s roads could be easily identified and traced whenever necessary.
“The exercise is not about harassment but rather about their safety, and ensuring that every vehicle on our road can be identified and traced,” Bakori said.
He appealed to vehicle owners to comply with existing regulations by registering their vehicles properly and ensuring that standard number plates remain visible at all times.
“I therefore call on all vehicle owners to ensure their vehicles are properly registered and that standard number plates are fixed and clearly visible,” Bakori said.
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