The Federal Capital Territory Vehicle Inspection Office (FCT VIO) has insisted that using faded number plates remains an offence that attracts penalties for vehicle owners.

“Ignorance of the law is not an excuse because having a faded vehicle number plate is an offence,” the FCT VIO spokesperson, Kalu Emetu, said.

Mr Emetu said the arrest of motorists over faded vehicle number plates is not to extort them but ensure compliance with traffic rules.

He clarified complaints by motorists who alleged that they were made to pay a heavy fine of up to N20,000 and directed to procure a new number plate for no fault of theirs.

The motorists had said the VIO should blame the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) for the substandard number plates, which fade quickly, instead of heaping the blame entirely on them.

“The money is a fine for breaking the law, and after payment, we expect that the vehicle owner applies to get a new number plate immediately,” he said.

Mr Emetu, however, said all vehicle number plates must be visible from at least 50 meters, otherwise, it was an offence to use them.

He said that if a clear view could not be achieved, then the number plate was not performing its function.

“Car owners should avoid the use of a hard sponge and all types of cleaning agents because it could affect the number plate paint.

“Car wash soap usage is better to avoid such situations,” he advised.

On the alleged low quality of the number plates, FRSC spokesperson, Bisi Kazeem, said the vehicle number plates were produced under the strict supervision of its quality control officers.

The FRSC spokesperson accused car wash attendants of damaging number plates by using abrasive materials to clean them.

(NAN)