The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, has said that it will continue to apprehend motorists with faded vehicle number plates because they are a security risk to the public.
The Corps Public Education Officer, Bisi Kazeem said this today in Abuja.
Kazeem said criminals took advantage of faded number plates to perpetrate heinous crimes in the country, as such impounding such vehicles would enhance security of lives and property.
He said: “What we are saying is that driving a vehicle with faded number plates on our roads is like living with neighbours who do not have identity; that is a huge security risk for other road users.
“This is because, miscreants, kidnappers, terrorists as well as other enemies of the state can leverage on that gap to commit heinous crimes because their identity is masked.”
Kazeem said that the corps would continue to educate vehicle owners on the imperative of having very clear number plates.
“I think the emphasis here should be channelled to educating people on the need to know the basis so that owners of faded number plates can replace them rather than devoting energy on whether or not arrest is imminent,” he said.
The Corps Public Education Officer said vehicle owners rather than the FRSC, should bear the cost of getting their faded number plates reissued.
According to him, number plates fade because of using concentrated detergents in washing vehicles.
He said: “In this case and other cases of theft, loss and mutilation from crashes, replacement is at the cost of the vehicle owners.
“Such vehicle owners must first apply and will be contacted on the required fee for the replacement through the motor vehicle administration.
“Where materials are available for the production of number plates, it doesn’t take up to two days for the issuance of number plate for a new vehicle.
“And also less than one week for re-issuance in case of theft, loss, mutilation and where they become faded.”