It’s a Criminal Offense to Cover Number Plates, Police Warn Car Owner/ Drivers

According to the Nigeria Police Force, it is illegal for drivers and car owners to hide their license plates without a good reason.

This was announced on Friday via a tweet by Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Force Public Relations Officer.

According to him, it is required that registration numbers be visible at all times.

He said, “It is a common thing to see many vehicle owners and drivers to cover their number plates, for no reason, this is wrong and even criminal.

“You don’t cover your number plate for any reason. It is as important and compulsory for all vehicles to be duly registered, so it’s compulsory to make reg. numbers visible at all times.”

The heads of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government, as well as “pennant officers,” who fly flags or pennants on their official vehicles, are the only exceptions, he claimed.

 “The seal of their offices or ranks (for military or police) go with their numbers and pennants. Once its 6pm, the pennant must go down and their numbers covered, or when they are not in the car while the drivers move their cars.

“The flags must be covered with the reg number or their seal of office on their cars. This impunity must stop in Nigeria, and we need to know the right thing to do. Our officers and men and other traffic management agencies are aware of this and hereby urged to go after any violator, as such is criminal. It encourages recklessness and crimes with impunity. Let’s collectively kick against it,” he said.

The NPF had on several occasions placed a ban on the unauthorised use of unmarked vehicles and covered number plates across the country.