Osun Police Launch Crackdown on Fake and Covered Number Plates to Boost Security

(The Osun State Police. Photo by Punch News)

The Osun State Police Command has commenced a statewide enforcement exercise targeting vehicles and motorcycles operating with covered, obscured, defaced, concealed, unauthorised, or unregistered number plates, as part of broader efforts to strengthen security across the state.

The Command said the operation followed a directive from the Inspector-General of Police and was aimed at enhancing public safety while denying criminals the anonymity often exploited in carrying out unlawful activities.

In a statement issued on Tuesday in Osogbo, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, said the Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Ibrahim Gotan, had directed all Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers, and field officers to impound offending vehicles and carry out thorough investigations in line with existing laws.

According to the statement, the exercise will also target vehicles bearing fake, improperly issued, altered, or otherwise unauthorised registration plates, with the police warning that such violations would not be tolerated.

The Command said motorists, transport operators, fleet owners, and members of the public are expected to ensure their vehicles carry valid, duly issued, and clearly visible registration plates at all times.

The statement clarified that the exercise was not intended to inconvenience law-abiding citizens but rather to strengthen the capacity of law enforcement to identify vehicles, investigate crimes, track suspects, and reinforce the state’s overall security architecture.

The Command reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and property, urging residents to comply with the directive and to provide credible, timely information to security agencies.

It added that officers deployed for the exercise had been instructed to conduct themselves professionally, courteously, and strictly within the bounds of the law.