The Oyo State House of Assembly has introduced a motion geared towards tackling the rising misuse of vehicle number plates and related elements, which have been linked to criminal activities across the state.
The motion seeks to regulate the use of covered number plates, unregistered vehicles, political stickers, and dealer plates.
Sponsored by Hon. R.A. Mabaje (Ido), Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin (Ibarapa East), Hon. S.A. Onaolapo (Ogbomoso South), and Hon. Bamidele Adeola (Iseyin/Itesiwaju), the motion was presented during Tuesday’s plenary session.
The motion highlights concerns over the exploitation of unregistered and improperly used vehicle plates by criminal elements, including internet fraudsters, kidnappers, armed robbers, drug traffickers, and smugglers.
It cites the National Road Traffic Regulations (NRTR), 2012, as amended in 2016, which provides comprehensive guidelines on vehicle registration and the proper use of number plates.
Despite these regulations, the misuse of covered plates, unregistered vehicles, and dealer plates persists, enabling individuals to evade detection while committing crimes.
The motion referenced several incidents, including July 2023 where arrests were made during an FRSC operation in Ibadan for the use of unregistered vehicles and dealer plates, August 2023: another armed robbers using political stickers to evade checkpoints were eventually apprehended after a chase, and September 2023 where a gang of kidnappers transporting victims with covered plates and unregistered vehicles was arrested by the Oyo State Police Command.
The Assembly raised alarm over the unauthorized use of government insignia, political stickers, and dealer plates to bypass law enforcement, compromise security checkpoints, and endanger public safety.
Also, the misuse of dealer plates by unauthorized persons has negatively impacted public safety and reduced the State’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
Key Resolutions reached at the end of the plenary sitting include strong condemnation of the illegal use of covered number plates, unregistered vehicles, political stickers, and dealer plates, a call on the Nigeria Police Force (Oyo State Command), the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC: Oyo State Command), and other security agencies to intensify operations targeting violators.
Other resolutions reached was a call on the Oyo state executive arm to ensure the swift prosecution of offenders, regardless of their social or political status.
To further curb the misuse of vehicle number plate, the Assembly recommended the deployment of surveillance technologies such as CCTV cameras and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems at strategic junctions, highways, and urban centers across the state.
The Oyo State House of Assembly also reaffirmed its commitment to enhancing public safety and ensuring the strict enforcement of traffic regulations in the state.