The Oyo State House of Assembly has taken a bold step to address the rising tide of criminal activities in the state by introducing a motion to regulate the use of covered number plates, unregistered vehicles, political stickers, and dealer number plates.
The motion, which was sponsored by Hon. R.A. Mabaje (Ido), Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin (Ibarapa East), Hon. S.A Onaolapo (Ogbomoso South), Leader of the House, and Hon. Bamidele Adeola (Iseyin/Itesiwaju), co-sponsors was read at the floor of the House during Tuesday plenary.
It is aimed at preventing the misuse of these elements by individuals, including internet fraudsters and other criminal elements.
According to the motion, the National Road Traffic Regulations (NRTR), 2012, amended in 2016, provides comprehensive guidelines for vehicle registration, the proper use of number plates, and traffic safety.
It noted that despite these regulations, there has been an alarming rise in the misuse of covered number plates, unregistered vehicles, and dealer plates by individuals to evade law enforcement detection while engaging in crimes such as kidnapping, armed robbery, drug trafficking, and smuggling.
The motion cited several instances where individuals were apprehended for using unregistered vehicle and dealer plates linked to illegal firearms and contraband.
“In July 2023, several individuals were arrested during an FRSC operation in Ibadan for using unregistered vehicles and dealer plates. Similarly, in August 2023, a group of armed robbers evaded checkpoints using political stickers but were arrested after a chase. In September 2023, the Oyo State Police Command arrested a gang of kidnappers using covered plates vehicle number and unregistered vehicles to transport victims undetected.”
The motion also noted that the unauthorized use of covered vehicle number plates, political stickers, and government insignia on vehicles has become a growing problem in Oyo State.
“Many individuals misuse these elements to bypass police and traffic checks, compromise security checkpoints, and obstruct law enforcement. The widespread use of dealer plates by unauthorized persons also threatens public safety and reduces the State’s Internally Generated Revenue.”
The motion resolved to condemn in strong terms the illegal use of covered number plates, unregistered vehicles, political stickers, and dealer plates.
It also urged the Nigeria Police Force (Oyo State Police Command), the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC: Oyo State Command), and other relevant security agencies to intensify operations aimed at identifying and apprehending individuals using vehicles with covered plates, unregistered vehicles, political stickers, and dealer plates.
Furthermore, the motion urged the Executive Arm of Government in Oyo State to ensure swift prosecution of all individuals violating traffic laws through the illegal use of unregistered vehicles, covered plates, dealer number plates, or political stickers, regardless of their social or political status.
It also called for the deployment of more surveillance facilities, such as CCTV cameras and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems, at critical junctions, highways, and urban centers across the State.
