The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has uncovered an unlawful producing and distributing fake diplomatic and official government number plates allegedly used by criminals to evade security checks and gain unauthorised access to restricted locations in Abuja.
The command held that it recovered vandalised public infrastructure, including drainage covers, solar-powered street lights, armoured electricity cables and internet communication cables during the enforcement exercise and made arrest of the suspected vandals across several parts of the territory.
Speaking during a press briefing at the command headquarters in Abuja on Friday, the Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Sanusi, said investigations into the fake number plate syndicate began shortly after he assumed office following reports of the growing proliferation of diplomatic and official government licence plates in the hands of unauthorised persons.
According to Sanusi, the investigation uncovered not only those using the fake number plates but also the network responsible for producing and distributing them. He said the suspects arrested over the illegal plates are in police custody and will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations, while the manufacturers, who operate outside the FCT, have been identified and are being tracked.
He explained that the fake diplomatic and official number plates were being used by criminals to beat security checkpoints, evade arrest and gain unrestricted access to government ministries, departments, agencies and other restricted locations by creating the impression that they belonged to diplomats or senior government officials.
“Upon my assumption of duty as the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, my attention was drawn to the proliferation and unauthorized use of diplomatic and official government licence plate numbers by unauthorized individuals,” the police figure said
“I immediately ordered a comprehensive investigation into this disturbing trend, which revealed that these individuals use such plate numbers as a cover to perpetrate crimes within the Federal Capital Territory and evade detection and arrest,” he mentioned.
Sanusi disclosed that investigations revealed some buyers paid between ₦500,000 and ₦1.7 million to obtain the fake diplomatic and official number plates, suggesting that the plates were procured to facilitate more serious criminal activities.
“Some of these things are ranging between ₦500,000 to ₦1.7 million for them to procure. This will tell you that they are making such huge expenditure because they have an agenda to fulfil with it, which they feel is bigger than the cost they are incurring. Now they will face punishment that is bigger than both the cost they incur and the agenda they are planning to use it to perpetrate,” he said.
The commissioner said the command deliberately withheld the identities of suspects linked to the fake number plate syndicate because doing so could compromise ongoing efforts to apprehend the manufacturers and other members of the network.
“We are on their trail. We’ve gotten their identities. That’s why we are not displaying our suspects regarding this so that they will not know that we are coming after them,” he added.
Sanusi also appealed to residents and journalists to assist the police by reporting vehicles displaying suspicious diplomatic registration numbers, noting that genuine diplomatic number plates follow a recognised official format.
“They use these fake numbers to beat security checkpoints. They use them to go into ministries and parastatals unstopped because everybody feels once you are a diplomat or have these plates, you are a big man. Help us identify them. Raise an alarm and we will arrest them,” he said.
On the recovery of vandalised public infrastructure, Sanusi said operatives acting on intelligence and carrying out proactive anti-crime patrols recovered stolen public assets from locations including Maitama, Garki, Durumi, Jabi, Apo Legislative Quarters, Lugbe and Nyanya.
He identified the five suspects arrested in connection with the recovered infrastructure as Godwin Aja, Mustapha Nasiru, Ibrahim Garba, Abdulrasheed Sale and Dabarani Mujitafa.
Describing the destruction and theft of public infrastructure as economic sabotage, the commissioner said the activities had contributed to road traffic accidents, injuries to pedestrians, increased street crime in poorly lit areas and prolonged electricity outages caused by the theft of high-voltage power cables.
He warned scrap dealers and other receivers of stolen public infrastructure that the command had expanded its investigation to dismantle the entire supply and distribution chain.
“I want to use this opportunity to send a clear warning to all purchasers, receivers and dealers in stolen public infrastructure that the FCT Police Command is coming after you. We have commenced extensive investigations and will not relent until every link in the supply, distribution and disposal chain of these stolen public assets is identified and brought to justice,” he said.
Sanusi added that all recovered public infrastructure would be handed over to the Federal Capital Territory Administration for reinstallation to restore damaged facilities and prevent further accidents, while reaffirming the command’s commitment to reducing crime across the territory through intelligence-driven policing and collaboration with the public.