The Rivers State Police Command has announced a renewed crackdown on vehicle‑related offences, targeting the concealment of number plates and the operation of unregistered vehicles throughout the state. In a statement released on Sunday and signed by Police Public Relations Officer Agabe Blessing Kaborlo, officers were instructed to arrest and prosecute motorists who cover, alter or drive without visible registration numbers.
The directive forms part of a wider security drive aimed at curbing “one‑chance” robberies, kidnappings and other violent crimes that have surged in recent months. Police officials said the measures are intended to dismantle criminal networks that exploit commercial transport routes to prey on unsuspecting passengers.
“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 read. In addition to the plate‑related rules, the command reaffirmed an existing curfew on tricycle (keke) operations, which remains in effect from 10:00 p.m. to the early morning hours.
Effective 18 May 2026, a further ban will take hold on commercial keke‑buses fitted with tinted glass or any other modifications that obscure the identity of passengers or occupants. Vehicles found in breach of the rule 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 police warned.
Authorities say the crackdown responds to a rise in “one‑chance” operations, a tactic in which criminals pose as legitimate transport providers to lure victims into their vehicles. Residents are being urged to avoid boarding transport in isolated or poorly lit areas, remain vigilant after dark, and, where possible, record or memorise registration numbers before entering a vehicle. The police encourage commuters to share such information with trusted contacts as an added safety measure.
The heightened enforcement reflects Rivers State’s broader effort to restore confidence in public transport and deter criminal exploitation of the sector. Police officials have called on vehicle owners and operators to regularise their documentation immediately, emphasizing that non‑compliance will no longer be tolerated. The command’s actions are expected to influence similar security initiatives in other Nigerian states as authorities seek to combat vehicle‑related crime nationwide.
