Rivers Police Declare War on Covered Number Plates, Unregistered Vehicles

The Rivers State Police Command has renewed a ban on the concealment of number plates and the use of unregistered vehicles across the state. This is in a bid to crackdown on vehicle-related crimes. In a statement issued on Sunday, May 10, signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, Agabe Blessing Kaborlo, the Command warned that motorists who cover, alter, or operate vehicles without registration numbers will be arrested and prosecuted. The statement said the measures are part of broader security operations aimed at curbing “one-chance” robberies, kidnappings, and other violent crimes in the state. It also reaffirmed that the restriction on tricycle (keke) operations between 10:00 p.m. and early morning remains in force. According to the Command, the enforcement is a part of efforts to dismantle criminal networks that exploit commercial transport systems. “The covering, alteration, driving without plate number or concealment of vehicle plate numbers is strictly prohibited. The Commissioner of Police has directed the arrest of offenders without hesitation,” the statement said. The police further declared that the use of unregistered vehicles within Rivers State will no longer be tolerated, urging owners and operators to regularise their documentation immediately. The Command also banned commercial keke-buses fitted with tinted glass or any form of covering that conceals the identity of passengers or occupants. The ban will take effect from May 18, 2026. Offending vehicles will be impounded and their operators prosecuted. “No commercial keke-bus should be fitted with tinted glass or covered in any manner capable of concealing the identity of passengers or occupants,” the Command warned. The police explained that the measures are aimed at tackling the rising incidence of “one-chance” operations, a crime pattern in which victims are lured into vehicles operated by criminals posing as transport providers. Residents were advised to avoid boarding vehicles in isolated or poorly lit areas and to remain alert, especially at night. The Command also encouraged commuters to note or photograph vehicle registration numbers before boarding and share them with trusted contacts for safety.