Yemisi Izuora
The Federal Road Safety Corps has directed a nationwide clampdown on motorcycles and tricycles without number plates with effect from Aug. 1.
The FRSC Corps Marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi gave the directive in a statement signed by Mr Bisi Kazeem, Corps Public Education Officer in Abuja.
He said the warning was as a result of the difficulty encountered in identifying such category of vehicles when used to commit traffic and criminal offences.
“This development has become imperative following the corps’ renewed commitment to ensuring security of lives and property of citizens, by controlling and reducing the rate of crime.
“Motorcycles and tricycles without number plates are believed not to be captured in the National Vehicle database hence, in the event of a crash or crime, cannot be traced,” he said.
According to him, “the National Road Traffic Regulations (NRTR) 2012 was made pursuant to section 5(e) of the FRSC (Establishment) Act, 2007.
“It specifies the type of identification number plates for all categories of vehicles including motorcycles, tricycles and omnibus.
“Regulations 8 (1a and 1b) also states that a vehicle may be registered in anyone of the following categories – motorcycles or tricycles.
“Furthermore, regulations 39(9) of the NRTR 2012 provides that all private and commercial vehicles shall as from the commencement of these regulations have on them, vehicle identification number plates referred to in this regulation.
“And it shall be an offence for any vehicle not to have the said identification number plates.
“Vehicles in this context include motorcycles and tricycles.
“To this end, commanding officers nationwide have been mandated to engage relevant stakeholders and associations to intimate them on the proposed clampdown.
“Public Education Officers have equally been directed to carry out all forms of advocacies to sensitise the riders to register their motorcycles and tricycles.
“The general public has also been advised to desist from patronising motorcycles and tricycles without number plates as they stand the risk of being abandoned in times of crash or crime.”