Nigeria Police to Arrest, Prosecute Drivers Using Covered or Missing Number Plates – IGP Disu Warns
The Nigeria Police Force has announced a nationwide crackdown on motorists driving with covered, obscured, or missing vehicle number plates, warning that offenders will be arrested and prosecuted as part of efforts to curb criminal activities across the country.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Olatunji Disu declared that no individual, regardless of social status or position, would be exempt from the enforcement of the directive. According to him, every vehicle on Nigerian roads must display a clearly visible and legally registered number plate.
Speaking on the new enforcement drive, the IGP emphasized that concealing vehicle registration plates has increasingly become a tactic used by criminals involved in kidnappings, armed robbery, and other violent crimes to avoid identification by security agencies and surveillance systems.
“It doesn’t matter who you are, you cannot drive your car without a number plate or a covered number plate in Nigeria anymore. If you do, we’re going to arrest you and we’re going to charge you to court. A lot of crimes have been committed by people covering their number plates, and they have turned into a status symbol,” the police chief stated.
The directive, reportedly issued to police commanders on June 10, classifies the use of concealed or absent number plates as a serious threat to public safety and national security. Officers have been instructed to intensify enforcement across states to ensure full compliance.
As part of the ongoing operation, security operatives have already impounded several vehicles found violating the directive. In Ondo State alone, authorities reportedly seized 15 vehicles during enforcement activities last month, signaling the beginning of stricter nationwide implementation.
The police believe the initiative will improve crime detection by making it easier to identify vehicles linked to criminal activities. Security experts have also noted that visible number plates are essential for effective surveillance, investigations, and the use of automated security technologies.
While many Nigerians have welcomed the policy as a necessary step toward improving public safety and ensuring accountability on the roads, others have questioned whether the enforcement will be applied equally to politically exposed persons, government officials, and VIP convoys, which are often seen using covered or obscured number plates.
There are also concerns that the exercise could create opportunities for police extortion if not properly monitored. Citizens have therefore called on the Nigeria Police Force to enforce the directive professionally, transparently, and without discrimination.
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The renewed enforcement underscores the police leadership’s commitment to tackling insecurity by eliminating practices that enable criminals to evade justice while promoting equal compliance with traffic and vehicle registration laws.
