The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has impounded more than 350 vehicles nationwide for using unauthorised number plates within the past month.
FRSC Public Education Officer, Olusegun Ogungbemide, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja, stating that the nationwide crackdown, which began on February 3, was part of efforts to enhance road safety and national security.
The operation targets vehicles with fake registration numbers and the illegal use of number plates by private, commercial, government, and diplomatic vehicles.
“The initial intervention, which started in Abuja, focused on vehicles bearing fake diplomatic numbers and unrecognised plates,” Ogungbemide explained. “The proliferation of fake number plates poses significant security risks, undermines law enforcement, and compromises national security.”
According to him, the campaign began in Abuja as a pilot location before expanding to all 36 states.
“We have impounded 350 vehicles so far, including those using fake diplomatic numbers and unapproved plates,” he stated. “We don’t know where they were printed or who authorised them.”
He emphasised that enforcement remains ongoing, highlighting the broader security implications of unauthorised number plates.
“A situation where number plates are being freely duplicated poses a major security threat, which is why we are addressing it decisively,” he added.
The FRSC urged vehicle owners to obtain legal number plates through the National Vehicle Identification Scheme (NVIS), assuring that the process is simple and affordable.
Ogungbemide also warned against using “fancy number plates” without proper authorisation, stating that violators would face sanctions.
“For those who want customised plates, there is a legal way to obtain them under the NVIS,” he explained. “But writing your name on a board and fixing it to your car is illegal. If you can afford millions of naira for a car, you should be able to pay a few thousand for a legal number plate.”
He reaffirmed the FRSC’s commitment to ensuring that all vehicles on Nigerian roads operate with legitimate registration.
The corps also urged the public to report any suspicious number plates to the nearest FRSC office.