The Kano State Police Command has arrested a suspect, recovered a Beretta pistol and intercepted 123 vehicles over concealed, defaced or missing registration number plates as part of its ongoing Operation Clean Plate aimed at curbing criminal activities across the state.
The command said the operation was designed to prevent criminals from exploiting unidentified vehicles to conceal their identities, transport illegal items and evade security checks.
The Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, disclosed this on Monday during a press conference at the command headquarters in Bompai, Kano, saying the initiative was introduced to strengthen security surveillance and improve vehicle identification across the state.
Bakori said the use of vehicles without proper registration plates had become a security concern, as criminal elements often rely on such vehicles to operate without easy detection.
“The objective remains clear: to rid Kano State of vehicles plying the roads with covered, defaced or no registration numbers at all. This is not a mere traffic violation but a deliberate tactic employed by criminals to create anonymity, commit crimes and evade detection.”
The police commissioner said the operation led to the recovery of a Beretta pistol, suspected cannabis, a knife, electric wires and 120 lithium batteries, while a 51-year-old suspect was arrested in connection with the items.
He added that operatives also recovered a vehicle suspected to have been stolen, with the suspect transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.
Bakori said one of the major breakthroughs recorded during the operation occurred on July 9 when officers from the Panshekara Police Division intercepted a vehicle without a registration plate.
According to him, the 15-year-old driver allegedly attempted to escape before he was arrested, leading to the discovery of the recovered exhibits during a search of the vehicle.
“The recovery validates the very reason we launched Operation Clean Plate. Vehicles without proper identification are being used to move suspicious individuals, prohibited firearms, narcotics and other dangerous items across the state.”
The commissioner said the owners and drivers of the 123 intercepted vehicles had been charged to court, warning motorists against covering, defacing or removing registration plates.
He said the exercise would continue across the 44 local government areas of Kano State through intelligence gathering, technology deployment and collaboration with residents.
Bakori urged members of the public to provide credible information on suspicious activities, while directing police personnel involved in the operation to ensure professionalism and respect for citizens’ rights.
The operation comes amid growing security concerns across Northern Nigeria, where criminal networks have exploited transport routes and unidentified vehicles to move weapons, stolen property and other illegal materials.
Kano, one of Nigeria’s most populous states and a major commercial centre in the North, remains a critical transport hub, making effective vehicle identification and intelligence-led policing important tools in strengthening public safety.
