The Lagos State Government has directed law enforcement agencies to apprehend motorists with defective vehicle registration number plates as well as those without any number fixed on their vehicles.
The state government, therefore warned motorists to desist from the unlawful act to avoid being prosecuted as the act violates sections 15 and 16 of the State’s Transport Reform Law 2018.
This was made known by the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, Engr. Abdul-Hafiz Toriola, over the weekend, explained the anomaly of wrongful use of the number plate which has become rampant.
Toriola noted that the covering of a number plate without authorization, use of a faded number plate, use of a damaged number plate, misuse of the number plate, and non-use of the number plate, all violate the law, especially with the present security challenges facing the nation.
Can be used to commit crimes
Quoting section 16 of the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law, TSRL, 2018, the Permanent Secretary reiterated that, a person, who drives a vehicle that is not registered, or does not have an affixed identification mark in the prescribed manner, commits an offence’.
Toriola stressed the need for vehicles to be properly registered with number plates, adding that a vehicle without a number can be used to commit crimes that may never be tracked.
He said,
- “The purpose of using a number plate is for proper identification and security as it is personalized for each vehicle.’’
Toriola therefore, urged motorists to use water and non-chemical to wash the number plates of their vehicles to prevent them from being damaged or faded.
Security agencies to enforce the directive.
Explaining further the act of misuse of number plates, the Permanent Secretary declared that the use of private number plates for commercial vehicles and otherwise also violates the TSRL, 2018.
For individuals who are at the moment not willing to register their vehicles for one reason or another, Toriola advised they contact the Motor Vehicle Administration Agency, MVAA, of the State for the issuance of a Temporary Vehicle Tag (TVT) in line with section 193 of the TSRL, 2018 pending their final decision on permanent registration or otherwise.
Totiola stated,
- “The Law Enforcement Agencies have then been mandated to apprehend defaulters. I urge vehicle owners to comply with the State Government to strengthen the security architecture already put in place.’’
