The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, has directed police commands across Nigeria to immediately intensify enforcement against vehicles operating without valid registration number plates or with concealed, altered, defaced, or otherwise obscured plates.

According to the IGP, the increasing number of vehicles on Nigerian roads without proper identification poses a serious threat to public safety and national security. He noted that criminals often exploit unregistered or disguised vehicles to evade detection while carrying out offences such as kidnapping, armed robbery, and other violent crimes.

Under the directive, Commissioners of Police, Tactical Commanders, and Heads of Formations nationwide have been instructed to stop and impound any vehicle found without approved registration plates or with tampered identification marks. Such vehicles and their owners are expected to face appropriate legal procedures in line with existing laws.

The police leadership emphasized that displaying a valid number plate is a legal requirement and an important tool for crime prevention, intelligence gathering, and effective law enforcement. The IGP warned that the new enforcement campaign would apply equally to all motorists, with no exemptions or preferential treatment.

The Nigeria Police Force also urged vehicle owners to ensure their vehicles are properly registered and that their number plates remain clearly visible and untampered to avoid sanctions during the nationwide operation.