The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has uncovered a network involved in the illegal production and use of fake diplomatic and official government number plates, and recovered vandalised public infrastructure worth millions of naira from suspected criminals.
Commissioner of Police Ahmed Sanusi disclosed this on Friday during a press briefing at the command headquarters in Abuja, where he said the recoveries were made through intelligence-led operations and proactive anti-crime patrols across Maitama, Garki, Durumi, Jabi, Apo Legislative Quarters, Lugbe and Nyanya.
The recovered infrastructure included drainage covers, solar-powered street lights, armoured electricity cables and internet communication cables stolen from different parts of the territory.
Sanusi identified five suspects arrested in connection with the recovered items as Godwin Aja, Mustapha Nasiru, Ibrahim Garba, Abdulrasheed Sale and Dabarani Mujitafa. He described the vandalism of public facilities as economic sabotage with grave consequences for residents, noting that the removal of drainage covers, solar street lights, armoured cables used for high-voltage electricity transmission and internet communication cables had directly contributed to road traffic accidents, injuries to pedestrians, increased incidents of street crime in areas plunged into darkness and disruption of electricity supply to entire communities.
The police commissioner warned scrap dealers and other buyers of stolen public infrastructure that the command had widened investigations to dismantle the entire criminal network. “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,” he said. “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 added that the recovered items would be handed over to the Federal Capital Territory Administration for reinstallation to prevent further accidents and restore damaged public facilities.
On the fake number plates, Sanusi said investigations began shortly after he assumed office following reports of the proliferation of diplomatic and government number plates in the hands of unauthorised persons. “Upon my assumption of duty as the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, my attention was drawn to the proliferation and unauthorised use of diplomatic and official government licence plate numbers by unauthorised individuals,” he 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.”
According to Sanusi, investigations uncovered not only the users of the fake number plates but also the production and supply chain responsible for their circulation. He said the suspects from whom the plates were recovered were currently in custody and would be charged to court upon conclusion of investigation.
However, he noted that the manufacturers of the fake plates were operating outside the FCT but had already been identified by investigators. “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 said.
Sanusi disclosed that investigations showed some buyers paid between N500,000 and N1.7 million to procure the fake diplomatic and official number plates. “Some of these things are ranging between N500,000 to N1.7 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.
He urged residents and journalists to report vehicles bearing suspicious diplomatic registration numbers, stressing that genuine diplomatic plates follow a recognised 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,” the police commissioner said.
