· Police go tough
The increasing use of suspected fake government number plates by motorists in Abuja has raised concerns over the abuse of official identity and possible security threats in the nation’s capital.
Only recently, the FCT Police Command intercepted two vehicles bearing the inscription “PRESIDENCY” within six days, including a luxury Lexus LX570 SUV.
The occupants of the SUV allegedly presented forged registration documents and impersonated a permanent secretary attached to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
The latest incident involved a Toyota Corolla bearing Presidency with Registration Number M01-997 FG, which was intercepted on October 26 following what the police described as credible intelligence.
The driver, identified as Agbogun Benard, was taken into custody after reportedly failing to satisfactorily explain the source of the number plate.
According to the police, preliminary investigations revealed that the occupant had presented forged registration documents and allegedly impersonated a Permanent Secretary attached to the Office of the SGF.
The command said investigations were ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the incidents and determine whether the suspects had any links to other individuals involved in the production or distribution of fake government number plates.
However, beyond the recent arrests and recovery of the vehicles, security sources and residents who spoke with The Abuja Inquirer, have blamed the alleged failure of security and traffic enforcement officers to properly scrutinise government number plates for making them attractive to motorists seeking to evade routine checks.
A security source placed the blame on the Vehicle Inspection Office and the Federal Road Safety Corps for failing in carrying out due diligence in determining those who apply for official number plates.
A civil servant, Eric Idoko, also agreed with the source. Idoko said the failure of police officers and personnel of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, to verify the authenticity of government number plates had encouraged some private vehicle owners to adopt the practice.
According to him, the problem goes beyond the production of fake number plates, as some motorists allegedly remove genuine registration plates from abandoned or grounded government vehicles and transfer them to their private cars.
“It’s actually the police and Road Safety officers that make people resort to using government number plates on private vehicles because they never stop them to ensure that official number plates are indeed registered to the vehicles bearing them.
“The issue is even beyond just fake number plates but the use of authentic government numbers on private vehicles.
“If you go to the parking lot at the Federal Secretariat, you find that most government vehicles that have been grounded for years no longer have their number plates because people are removing them and using them on their vehicles to avoid being stopped on the road,” he said.
A security expert, Chude Obiekwe, expressed concern that the unchecked use of fake government number plates could create serious security vulnerabilities, particularly if criminals begin to exploit the appearance of official authority to gain access to restricted locations.
“We know this is a dangerous trend that must be curbed immediately. Why will they keep letting government numbers pass without even a second look? If we are not careful, criminals will start printing theirs and using them to access secured places,” he said.
Obiekwe called on security agencies and traffic enforcement officers to strengthen checks on vehicles bearing government registrations, insisting that the issue should not be treated as an ordinary traffic offence.
A resident, Samaila, commended the FCT Police Command for the recent arrests, saying the action would serve as a deterrent to motorists using fake government number plates.
He, however, said some motorists deliberately conceal their number plates to create the impression that they are government officials, warning that the practice must be checked.
“We must commend the FCT Police for the recent arrests. At least, it will deter others with fake government numbers and let them know there are laws guiding the use of these plates.
“Some of them will cover these fake plates so you think they are government officials, but there are laws on who and when to move with covered number plates,” he said.
Recounting an experience during a journey to his village in Kogi State, Samaila said he was shocked when the driver of a vehicle he had boarded requested a brief stop at Gwagwalada for a mechanic to inspect the vehicle, only for the mechanic to remove its original number plates and replace them with a government registration number.
“The other day, I hitched a ride while travelling to my village in Kogi State, and I was shocked when we got to Gwagwalada and the driver asked me to give him a minute for his mechanic to check his vehicle, only for the said mechanic to remove the number plates on the vehicle and screw on a government number. Such are the unfortunate times that we are in,” he said.
Recall that the FCT Police Command had in July 2026 disclosed that several unauthorised diplomatic and government number plates, including those bearing the inscriptions Presidency, Senator and House of Representatives, had been recovered.
The Commissioner of Police was also reported to have disclosed that investigations had uncovered an alleged network involved in the production and supply of illegal number plates.
