FRSC cautions motorists against tampering with number plates after court ruling

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The FRSC has welcomed a court judgment that validated its powers to enforce traffic regulations on tampered vehicle number plate, warned motorists to comply with the law to avoid penalties.

The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Shehu Mohammed, reacting to the recent ruling clarified motorists that modifications or hand-painting of vehicle number plates  are inimical to laws of the land.

The judgement he said has affirmed the corps authority to enforce regulations relating to vehicle number plates, as tampering with or altering number plates in any form has been pronounced an offense.

He said, “We call on all motorists to desist from acts that compromise road safety and contravene laid-down regulations, such as tampering with or altering number plates in any form,” the statement noted.

Mohammed emphasized that the judgment serves as a stark reminder to all motorists about the consequences of violating traffic regulations, underscoring the critical importance of compliance in promoting national road safety.

According to the corps spokesperson, Olusegun Ogungbemide, in a release on Thursday, the judge, Justice Musa Kakaki had on June 23, 2025 dismissed a suit filed by one Ojo Olomi, who had challenged the legality of a fine imposed on him and the confiscation of his driver’s licence by FRSC officials.

He had been arrested for allegedly hand-painting his vehicle’s number plate, a practice the corps deems a violation of the National Road Traffic Regulations, 2016.

By hand-painting his number plate, Olomi was found to have violated these provisions, prompting enforcement action by the corps.

The judgment distinguished itself from an earlier decision in Chinwike Chamberlain Ezebube v. FRSC, which had been cited by some to question the FRSC’s enforcement authority.

The FRSC welcomed the judgement, stating that it not only upheld the legality of the penalty but also provided legal clarity on the offence of altering number plates.

“The Honourable Court affirmed that the action of the applicant is a violation recognised by law and the confiscation of his driver’s licence does not constitute an infringement on the applicant’s fundamental human rights as alleged by him,” Ogungbemide revealed.

Further to that, he explained that the judgment set aside misconceptions surrounding the corps’ legal standing to enforce road traffic regulations, especially concerning vehicle identification.

“This verdict serves as a significant nod from the judiciary, validating the powers and responsibilities of the FRSC in enforcing traffic regulations, particularly as they relate to vehicle identification and road safety compliance,” Ogungbemide said.