The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has mandated security and regulatory agencies to embark on a statewide crackdown on motorists using covered number plates and unregistered vehicles.
We gathered that this followed a motion of urgent public importance raised by the lawmaker representing Mkpat Enin Constituency, Mr. Uwem Imoh-Ita, during plenary.
In its resolution, the Assembly instructed the Akwa Ibom State Police Command to ensure full enforcement of existing laws prohibiting the use of obscured or unregistered vehicle number plates.
The lawmakers also charged the State Ministry of Works and Fire Service to engage construction companies within the state and ensure their fleets comply with vehicle registration and identification regulations.
Similarly, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) was urged to step up monitoring and surveillance to curb the rising trend, which the House described as a danger to public safety.
While presenting the motion, Imoh-Ita lamented that some residents had formed the habit of driving vehicles with covered or unregistered number plates, a practice he said was fast becoming rampant.
“It has been noticed that many vehicles belonging to construction companies that operate in the state are guilty of this. Their vehicles, especially heavy-duty trucks, ply the roads without registration or identification numbers, this is not allowed,” he said.
The lawmaker expressed concern that such vehicles pose grave risks to the public, noting that they are difficult to trace when involved in accidents or criminal activities.
The House emphasized that strict enforcement of the directive would help strengthen law and order while safeguarding lives and property across the state.
