Police bust fake government number plate ring in Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory Police have seized damaged public property from suspected criminals.

They also found a group making and using fake diplomatic and official government number plates.

The Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Sanusi, shared this news on Friday during a press conference at the command headquarters in Abuja.

Sanusi said the recovered items included stolen drainage covers, solar street lights, armoured electricity cables, and internet cables taken from various areas in the territory.

He mentioned that these recoveries happened through smart operations and proactive crime patrols across Maitama, Garki, Durumi, Jabi, Apo Legislative Quarters, Lugbe, and Nyanya.

Police arrested five suspects linked to the stolen items. They are Godwin Aja, Mustapha Nasiru, Ibrahim Garba, Abdulrasheed Sale, and Dabarani Mujitafa.

The police chief called the vandalism of public property an act of economic sabotage that greatly harms residents.

"The removal of drainage covers, solar street lights, armoured cables for high-voltage electricity, and internet cables worth millions of naira by a few greedy individuals for personal gain has led to road accidents, harm to pedestrians, increased street crime in dark areas, and the disruption of electricity in communities due to the theft of power cables," he said.

Sanusi warned scrap dealers and buyers of stolen public property that police are expanding their investigations to break down the entire criminal network.

"I want to warn all buyers and dealers in stolen public infrastructure that the FCT Police Command is coming for you. We have started thorough investigations and will not stop until we find every link in the chain of these stolen public assets and bring them to justice," he said.

He added that the recovered items would be given to the Federal Capital Territory Administration for fixing to avoid further accidents and restore damaged public facilities.

The police commissioner also revealed the recovery of several fake diplomatic and official government number plates that criminals used to avoid security checks and access restricted areas.

He said investigations started soon after he took office due to reports of fake diplomatic and government number plates in the hands of unauthorized people.

"When I became the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, I learned about the fake use of diplomatic and official government license plates by unauthorized people. I quickly ordered an investigation into this worrying trend, which showed that these individuals use these plates as cover to commit crimes in the Federal Capital Territory and avoid getting caught," he said.

According to Sanusi, the investigations revealed not just who used the fake number plates but also how they were made and distributed.

"The suspects from whom we recovered these plates are in custody and will face court charges once our investigation ends," he said.

He also noted that the makers of the fake plates are outside the FCT but have been identified by the police.

"We are tracking them. We know who they are. That is why we are not showing our suspects so they won't know we are after them," he said.

Sanusi revealed that investigations showed some buyers paid between N500,000 and N1.7 million for the fake number plates.

"Some of these plates cost between N500,000 and N1.7 million. This shows they are spending a lot because they have a big plan that they believe is worth the cost. Now they will face punishment worse than the money they spent and the plan they intended to carry out," he said.

He called on residents and journalists to report any vehicles with suspicious diplomatic registration numbers. He stressed that real diplomatic plates follow a specific format.

"They use these fake numbers to get past security checks. They use them to enter ministries and other offices without being stopped because everyone thinks if you have these plates, you are important. Help us catch them. Raise the alarm and we will arrest them," the police commissioner said.

Sanusi promised that the command is dedicated to cutting down crime in the Federal Capital Territory with smart policing and public cooperation.