Sokoto: Police to begin crackdown on vehicles without number plates

Sokoto State Police Command has announced plans to begin a statewide crackdown on vehicles operating without registration number plates or with concealed, altered, defaced or obscured plates as part of efforts to strengthen security and enforce compliance with traffic regulations.

The planned enforcement exercise, which follows a directive from the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, is aimed at improving public safety, enhancing intelligence-led policing and preventing the use of unidentifiable vehicles for criminal activities.

In a statement issued on Friday, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Rufa’i, said the operation would be carried out across the state to ensure adherence to existing vehicle registration and traffic laws.

According to the statement, the Commissioner of Police, Hayatu Hassan Shaffa, reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property, stressing that the exercise is designed to enhance security rather than inconvenience law-abiding residents.

Shaffa urged vehicle owners and operators to ensure their vehicles are properly registered and fitted with approved number plates.

He also warned owners of vehicles displaying covered, altered, defaced or obscured plates to regularise their documentation or risk prosecution and other legal sanctions.

The commissioner assured residents that the enforcement exercise would be conducted professionally, transparently and in accordance with the law, while calling on the public to cooperate with security personnel to ensure its success.

The command reiterated its commitment to maintaining law and order across Sokoto State and urged all motorists to comply with the directive and other traffic regulations in the interest of public safety and national security.