Police seize 25 vehicles over number plate violations in Rivers

The Cross River State Police Command has stepped up enforcement against motorists flouting vehicle registration regulations, impounding 25 vehicles during a crackdown in Calabar.

The operation, conducted on 3 July 2026, followed a nationwide directive issued by the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, aimed at tackling the use of vehicles without proper registration or with concealed and unauthorised number plates.

In a statement released on Tuesday in Calabar, the Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Eitokpah, said those found in breach of the regulations had been processed in line with the law and were already facing prosecution.

He said, “The Cross River State Police Command has successfully intensified the enforcement of the ongoing nationwide directive of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, on vehicles operating without registration plates or with covered, altered, defaced, unauthorised dealer number plates, or obscured registration plates.”

Giving details of the exercise, Eitokpah added, “As part of the enforcement operation carried out within Calabar Metropolis on 3rd July, 2026, the Command intercepted 25 vehicles found in violation of the directive. The offenders have been subjected to the appropriate administrative and legal procedures and are being prosecuted in accordance with the relevant provisions of the law.”

According to the police spokesman, the initiative is intended to strengthen security by making it easier to identify vehicles and preventing criminals from exploiting unregistered or disguised number plates to conceal their activities.

He said, “The Cross River State Police Command reiterates its commitment to intelligence-led, proactive, and community-focused policing. Members of the public are urged to comply with all traffic and vehicle registration regulations, as the enforcement exercise will continue across the state.”

The command also appealed to residents to support the ongoing exercise by observing traffic regulations and promptly reporting suspicious individuals or activities through the police emergency contact lines.