Police Arrest 123 Traffic Offenders, Recover Firearm In Kano Number Plate Crackdown

The Kano State Police Command has arrested 123 motorists for violating vehicle registration and number plate regulations under its ongoing enforcement campaign, Operation Clean Plates.

The Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, disclosed this on Monday while briefing journalists at the command headquarters in Bompai, saying the operation is aimed at removing vehicles with concealed, defaced or missing number plates from roads across the state.

Bakori said such violations are often exploited by criminals to conceal their identities and evade law enforcement.

According to him, the exercise, which began on July 6, has led to the interception of 123 vehicles across Kano’s 44 local government areas. He added that all the affected drivers have been charged to court for prosecution.

He stressed that operating vehicles without proper registration is not merely a traffic offence but a security concern, noting that criminals frequently use such vehicles to facilitate unlawful activities while avoiding detection.

The police commissioner also revealed that officers attached to the Panshekara Division made a significant arrest during the operation.

He said operatives intercepted a vehicle without a number plate on July 9 within the Kano metropolis. Although the driver initially attempted to evade arrest, he was later apprehended after a pursuit.

The suspect, identified as 51-year-old Mahi Ibrahim of Rijiyar Zaki Quarters, was allegedly found in possession of a Beretta pistol, suspected cannabis, a knife, electric cables, 120 lithium batteries and a vehicle believed to have been stolen.

Bakori said the recovery reinforces the importance of the statewide enforcement exercise, noting that vehicles without proper identification are often used to transport firearms, narcotics and other dangerous items.

He disclosed that the suspect has been transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), where investigations are ongoing to determine the source of the firearm and establish any links to a wider criminal network.

The commissioner assured residents that Operation Clean Plates would continue and be intensified across all 44 local government areas of the state.

He urged motorists to comply with vehicle registration requirements by ensuring their number plates are properly displayed at all times, while encouraging members of the public to provide useful information to support ongoing crime-fighting efforts.

Bakori also reaffirmed the command’s commitment to professionalism and called on residents to promptly report any misconduct by police officers. He assured the public that the command would remain steadfast in protecting lives and property across the state.