The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Tunji Disu, has directed police officers across the country to arrest and prosecute motorists driving vehicles with covered, concealed, altered, or missing number plates, describing the practice as a serious security threat.

Speaking on the nationwide enforcement of traffic and vehicle registration laws, the IGP stated that no motorist has the legal right to obscure a vehicle's registration plate or operate a vehicle without one. Nobody has the right to cover their number plate.

If you drive without one, we'll arrest you and charge you to court, Disu said. He explained that the directive forms part of the Nigeria Police Force's efforts to curb crime and enhance public safety, noting that criminals frequently exploit concealed or unregistered vehicles to evade identification and law enforcement.

According to the police chief, visible and properly registered number plates are essential for tracking vehicles involved in criminal activities, including kidnapping, armed robbery, banditry, and other violent offences.

Disu said he has instructed Commissioners of Police and other senior officers nationwide to strictly enforce the directive by stopping and taking legal action against any vehicle found operating with covered, defaced, altered, or missing registration plates.

He warned that offenders would be arrested and charged to court in accordance with the law, adding that there would be no exceptions regardless of the status of the vehicle owner.

The IGP urged motorists to ensure their vehicles are properly registered and display valid number plates at all times, stressing that compliance with the law is a shared responsibility in strengthening national security.

The renewed enforcement campaign is part of broader efforts by the Nigeria Police Force to improve intelligence gathering, deter criminal activities, and promote safer roads across the country.