Police commence clamp down on unregistered vehicles, defaced number plates in Enugu

Enugu state Police Command has commenced clamp down on unregistered vehicles and vehicles with defaced number plates.

The Commissioner of Police Enugu State Police Command, Mamman Giwa, who gave the directive also directed Police Operatives to crackdown on vehicles with obscured number plates or unlawfully covered registration number plates across the state.

The commissioner gave the directive in a statement made available to Newsmen by the Police Public Relations officer, Enugu State Police Command, SP Daniel Ndukwe, on Thursday in Enugu.

He said the directive followed the subsisting order of the Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Olatunji Disu.

He noted that the I-G mandated the impoundment of such vehicles and prosecution of offenders nationwide, given the security risks they pose, their frequent use in the commission of crimes, and their violation of extant laws.

Giwa emphasised that unregistered vehicles and tampered, obscured, defaced, or concealed number plates undermine law enforcement efforts as well as frustrate crime detection and investigation.

The Commissioner said such vehicles were often used by criminal elements to evade identification and arrest.

Giwa, therefore, charged supervisory officers to ensure that the enforcement is carried out strictly in accordance with the law and with the utmost professionalism, civility and respect for citizens’ rights.

The Commissioner warned that any officer found exploiting the exercise for extortion, harassment, or any other form of misconduct would face severe disciplinary sanctions.

He urged motorists operating unregistered vehicles or using defaced, obscured, or covered number plates, except where expressly permitted by law, to desist forthwith and comply with all relevant regulations.

Giwa urged residents to remain law-abiding, vigilant, and supportive of ongoing efforts to enhance public safety by reporting criminal activities and suspicious persons to the nearest police station

He also urged members of the public to report any case of police misconduct through the Command’s Complaint Response Unit on 09160002486, 09160002487, 07059160602, or 08176255557.