Kano Police Impound 81 Vehicles Over Covered Number Plates, Arrest Three in Security Crackdown

The Kano State Police Command has impounded 81 vehicles for violating regulations on the display of vehicle registration number plates as it intensified efforts to curb criminal activities across the state.

Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, disclosed this on Monday while briefing journalists in Kano on the ongoing statewide enforcement exercise, Operation Clean Plates, which is being conducted across the 44 local government areas of the state.

Bakori said the operation targets vehicles with concealed, defaced or improperly displayed number plates, noting that such practices are often exploited by criminals to conceal their identities and evade arrest after committing crimes.

According to him, the affected motorists will be prosecuted in accordance with the law, stressing that the command will not allow Kano State to become a safe haven for criminal elements operating with unidentifiable vehicles.

“The deliberate covering or alteration of number plates poses a serious security threat. It frustrates law enforcement efforts and provides anonymity for criminals,” the police commissioner said.

He explained that before commencing the operation, the command carried out an extensive public enlightenment campaign through radio and television stations, social media platforms and interactive phone-in programmes to educate residents on the legal requirement for proper vehicle registration and the clear display of standard number plates.

Bakori maintained that the awareness campaign gave motorists ample notice, adding that no offender could legitimately claim ignorance of the law.

The police boss further disclosed that operatives intercepted three additional vehicles under suspicious circumstances during the operation after their occupants failed to provide satisfactory explanations regarding the ownership and purpose of the vehicles.

He said the suspects, along with the vehicles, were undergoing further investigation, assuring that anyone found culpable would be prosecuted.

Bakori emphasised that the exercise was not aimed at harassing law-abiding citizens but at strengthening public safety by ensuring that every vehicle on Kano roads could be easily identified and traced whenever necessary.

He urged motorists to comply with vehicle registration regulations by displaying standard number plates without any form of obstruction and appealed to residents to cooperate with security personnel during the exercise.

The commissioner also encouraged members of the public to report any act of misconduct by police officers through the Command’s Complaint Response Unit, reaffirming the command’s commitment to intelligence-led policing and crime prevention.

He said Operation Clean Plates would continue across the state until full compliance with vehicle registration regulations is achieved.