The Kano State Police Command has arrested 123 motorists for allegedly driving vehicles without registration plates or with concealed number plates as part of its ongoing “Operation Clean Plate” aimed at tackling crime across the state.
The Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, disclosed this on Monday while briefing journalists at the command headquarters in Bompai, Kano.
Bakori said the operation was launched to address the growing use of vehicles without proper identification, which he described as a tactic often employed by criminals to evade security checks and conceal their identities.
According to him, the command has intercepted the offending vehicles across several local government areas since the commencement of the exercise, adding that all 123 motorists have been charged to court.
“This is not a mere traffic violation. It is a deliberate tactic employed by criminals to create anonymity, commit crime and evade detection,” Bakori said.
The police commissioner also revealed that officers attached to the Panshekara Police Division arrested a 51-year-old suspect during the operation after intercepting a vehicle without a registration plate on July 9.
He said the suspect allegedly attempted to evade arrest but was apprehended. A search of the vehicle reportedly led to the recovery of a pistol, cannabis sativa, a knife, electric wires, 120 lithium batteries and a suspected stolen vehicle.
Bakori said the suspect has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation as detectives work to determine whether the recovered items are linked to a wider criminal network.
“These recoveries validate the reason we launched Operation Clean Plate. Vehicles without proper identification are being used to move suspicious individuals, prohibited firearms, narcotics and other dangerous items across the state,” he said.
The commissioner assured residents that the enforcement exercise would continue across all 44 local government areas of Kano State to improve public safety and prevent criminals from exploiting loopholes in vehicle identification.
He urged motorists to ensure their vehicles are properly registered, display standard number plates and remove any coverings that could obstruct identification.
Bakori also called on residents to support the police with credible information and warned officers against unprofessional conduct, stressing that discipline and respect for human rights would remain priorities during the operation.
