Nigerian Police warn against covering vehicle number plates

The Nigeria Police have warned motorists to desist from covering their number plates without legal reasons.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said this in a statement via his X handle.

The Police spokesperson explained that is compulsory to leave the registration numbers open at all times.

Adejobi said, “It is a common thing to see many vehicle owners and drivers cover their number plates, for no reason, this is wrong and even criminal.

“You don’t cover your number plate for any reason. It is important and compulsory for all vehicles to be duly registered, so it’s compulsory to make reg. numbers visible at all times.”

Those who are allowed to conceal their plates are “pennant officers” and heads of the three arms of the government, executive, legislative, and judiciary, who use pennants or flags on their official cars, Adejobi explained.

He explained further “The seal of their offices or ranks (for military or police) go with their numbers and pennants. Once its 6pm, the pennant must go down and their numbers covered, or when they are not in the car while the drivers move their cars.”

In 2021, the Lagos State Police Command gave an ultimatum to clamp down on users of unregistered vehicles, vehicles without number plates, vehicles with covered, defaced, or fake number plates, escorts vehicles without number plates, as well as illegal number plates showing names, titles, or social status.

“Users of plate numbers with special inscriptions like ‘Chief,’ ‘Chairman,’ ‘Ambassador,’ ‘Baale,’ ‘Iya Oloja’ ‘Sarki’ or bearing personal names, among others, are required by law to register such customised number plates. Escort vehicles and bullion vans must also be registered,” the Police said.