The Jigawa State Taskforce Committee on the Retrieval of Government Official Number Plates has confiscated over one hundred government-issued number plates from unauthorized individuals.
The committee, after presenting its findings to Malam Bala Ibrahim, the Secretary to the Government of Jigawa State.
They outlined the extent of the illicit use of government plates on private vehicles, calling the trend a serious security risk to the state.
Chairman of the Taskforce, DC Tijjani Murtala, disclosed that the misuse of these official plates could allow criminals to bypass security checks, potentially facilitating nefarious activities.
He emphasized that many of the plates had been issued for vehicles that were no longer in use, while others had found their way onto private vehicles illegally.
“Some of the Government official number-plates now in circulation were issued to vehicles different from the ones on which they were being found,” DC Murtala said.
Among the recommendations, the committee urged the state to re-register all government vehicles, prohibit the transfer of official number plates, and impose strict sanctions on vehicles found with unauthorized government plates.
Also, they suggested rebranding government plates and automating a central database to ensure transparency and accountability.
In response, Malam Bala Ibrahim commended the committee for its diligent work and assured that the government would review the report and take necessary actions based on the findings.
“The state government will give the committee’s recommendations the urgent consideration they deserve,” Ibrahim said,