The Federal Road Safety Corps, Lagos State command, has described fake number plates as a security threat that must be addressed.

The Lagos State Sector Commander, Kehinde Hamzat, said this during the launch of an operation to combat the menace of fake number plates on Thursday in Lagos.

He said, “Today’s operation is specifically targeted at fake number plates. Overtime, we discovered that some of the security challenges happening in the country cannot be traced due to the fact that the source is not known. You can imagine a situation where there is a hiccup and you pick a number of a particular vehicle, thinking you have the registration number, only to check the database and you cannot locate the particular vehicle. This is a security threat to the country, and we say no to some of these things.’’

Mr Hamzat noted that some of the acts of indiscipline on the road were caused by these fake number plates.

He said, “Either the perpetrators will stop it or they will have it rough with us because there is no going back on this patrol. This is a directive from the corps marshal, and we are ready to follow that directive to the latter.’’.

He added that they would partner with more states to tackle the menace.

He said that FRSC officials could easily identify fake ones as there was property on the number plate that could be used to identify which one was fake or genuine.

He added, “You can see from some of these number plates, the inscriptions written on them, the presidency, even the National Association of Nigerian Students, these are all fake because we cannot trace them. Someone printed these; these are things we must definitely and collectively fight against. On the one written NANS, this can be used to perpetrate evil, and it will become a form of threat to these students, and we should work together as one body to rid this country of these menaces.’’

He said that the patrol would be a continuous exercise calling on those with fake number plates to desist from the act because it would no longer be business as usual.

Mr Hamzat said the vehicles whose number plates were seized would be impounded and their owners prosecuted appropriately in court.

Before the officers embarked on the exercise, they were urged by the sector commander to be vigilant and safety conscious.

He said, “Safety comes first before any other thing. If you observe a target, there should be a pre-stop; raise your flag; the middle will engage, and if they want to escape, the last field will hold. The bike should be in takeoff position. Do not cluster; be vigilant and do the necessary arrest.’’ 

(NAN)