The Federal Road Safety Corps on Monday launched a strategic intervention patrol, code-named ‘Operation Guduma’, to check the use of fake diplomatic number plates as well as overloading on roads.
The Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Shehu Mohammed, disclosed this in Awka during the inauguration of the operation.
Mohammed, represented by the corps’ head of Transport Union Coordination Unit, Oko Etuali, said the corps discovered that many individuals were using fake ambassadorial and diplomatic number plates to ply the roads.
He said the development had become a source of concern in view of the prevailing insecurity in the country.
“We discovered that most people are faking ambassadorial or diplomatic number plates and using them to ply the roads.
“Considering the insecurity in the country, the corps launched this strategic intervention patrol to ensure that all those using fake ambassadorial number plates and other illegal government number plates are brought to book,” he said.
He explained that one of the statutory functions of the FRSC was to design and produce number plates, while state governments were responsible for issuing them to government officials, including lawmakers.
According to him, the FRSC only advises state governments on the withdrawal of number plates issued to lawmakers after the expiration of their tenure.
“Most of the time, during handover processes or change of government, many former officials fail to return the number plates issued to them.
“The number plates issued to government officials carry expiry dates, making them easy to identify,” he said.
Mohammed said the operation had already commenced in some states, adding that the exercise in Anambra and Enugu states would run from May 18 until May 22.
On overloading, he said the newly created Transport Union Coordination Unit had commenced sensitisation campaigns at motor parks to educate motorists on the dangers associated with the practice.
“The mentality of many drivers is that the more passengers or goods they load, the more money they make, without considering the safety of other road users,” he said
He consequently noted that after the enlightenment campaign, the FRSC will begin enforcement, adding that any driver found complicit will be sanctioned to serve as a deterrence to others.
(NAN)
