Insecurity: Lagos begins clampdown on vehicles with number plate issues

Lagos state has given a marching order to law enforcement agencies to arrest motorists with defaced vehicle registration number plates as well as those without any number plates fixed on their vehicles.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Engr. Abdulhafiz Toriola, urged motorists to desist from the unlawful act to avoid being prosecuted as the act violates section 15 and 16 of the State’s Transport Reform Law 2018.

Explaining the anomaly of wrongful use of the number plate which has become rampant, the permanent secretary, noted that; “covering of number plate without authorisation, use of faded number plate, use of damaged number plate, misuse of number plate and non use of number plate, all violates the law especially with the present security challenges facing the nation.”

Quoting section 16 of the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law, TSRL, 2018, the Permanent Secretary reiterated that, ‘a person, who drives a vehicle that is not registered, or does not have affixed identification mark in the prescribed manner, commits an offence’.

While stressing the need for vehicles to be properly registered with number plates, Toriola stated that a vehicle without a number can be used to commit crimes which may never be tracked.

“The purpose of using number plate is for proper identification and security as it is personalised for each vehicle,” he added.

Toriola therefore, urged motorists to use water and non-chemical to wash the number plates of their vehicles to prevent it from being damaged or faded.

Explaining further the act of misuse of number plate, the Permanent Secretary declared that the use of private number plate for commercial vehicle and otherwise also violates the TSRL, 2018.

For individuals who are at the moment not willing to register their vehicles for one reason or the other, Toriola advised they contact the Motor Vehicle Administration Agency, MVAA, of the State for the issuance of Temporary Vehicle Tag (TVT) in line with section 193 of the TSRL, 2018 pending their final decision on permanent registration or otherwise.

“The Law Enforcement Agencies have the been mandated to apprehend defaulters. I urge vehicle owners to comply with the State Government to strengthen the security architecture already put in place,” Toriola stated.