By Christian Njoku
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has warned motorists against covering, falsifying or using faded number plates, insisting that nobody is exempt from enforcement.
Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed gave the warning in Calabar, Cross River State, on Tuesday during a media briefing on Operation Guduma Phase Two.
Operation Guduma Phase Two which runs from Tuesday Nov. 3 to Nov. 6, targets traffic violations involving fake, covered and faded number plates across the country.
Represented by Corps Commander Jerry Undelikwo, the Corps amament officer, Mohammed said the operation would receive support from sister security agencies to apprehend offenders, including motorists who use armed security personnel to evade arrest.
He stressed that displaying covered number plates remained an offence, regardless of the offender’s status, adding that enforcement would continue beyond the special operation.
According to him, number plate violations pose serious national security threats, as criminals could exploit government or diplomatic plates to transport arms or kidnapped persons undetected.
He explained that offenders could be prosecuted through mobile courts or handed over to relevant security agencies for further investigation and prosecution.
On his part, SC Innocent Etuk, Sector Commander, FRSC Cross River Command, disclosed that the FRSC had arrested 847 number plate violators in Cross River within the past 12 months.
He identified motorcycles, particularly in Ogoja and other northern parts of the state, as accounting for a significant proportion of the violations recorded.
He said the FRSC Motor Vehicle Administration Department would collaborate with its national office to verify vehicles against the national registration database.
According to him, vehicles whose registration details could not be verified would be impounded and taken to the FRSC office for further investigation.
The commander urged motorists to comply with traffic regulations, stressing that the operation was aimed at strengthening road safety, improving security and ending the abuse of number plates and other traffic infractions.
