Police to commence strict enforcement from June 15 as joint border patrols target criminals escaping across state lines

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has ordered a nationwide crackdown on vehicles operating without valid registration number plates, directing police commands to enforce the new measures from Monday, June 15, 2026. The initiative, which covers all states and the Federal Capital Territory, was announced during a conference with senior officers in Abuja.

Disu’s directive involves immediate deployment of Deputy Inspectors General of Police (DIGs) to each of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. The move is aimed at improving supervision and accountability within the force, ensuring that top-level leadership is closer to operational activities on ground. According to Disu, this redeployment will enhance response times and strengthen policing against security threats countrywide.

The IGP stated that vehicles with missing, concealed, tampered or deliberately obscured number plates will be stopped and subjected to legal action as part of the enforcement drive. “Every vehicle operating on our roads must be properly registered and must display its approved registration number in accordance with the law. Any vehicle found without number plates or with a deliberately obscured, concealed or tampered registration number will be stopped, grounded and subjected to the appropriate legal process,” Disu said at the Abuja meeting.

To combat cross-border criminal activities such as kidnapping and armed robbery, Disu also instructed Commissioners of Police in neighbouring states to carry out joint patrols along shared boundaries. The IGP emphasised that criminals often exploit jurisdictional gaps by committing offences in one state and fleeing into another. “Security agencies must stop treating crime as a purely territorial issue because offenders often commit crimes in one state and escape into another,” he added.

Assistant Inspectors General (AIGs) and Commissioners of Police have been mandated to coordinate closely with the newly posted DIGs for effective implementation of these directives. The police said active intelligence sharing and real-time collaboration between commands will improve response to emergencies and reduce delays in tackling security threats at state borders.

The deployment takes effect from June 15, 2026. Motorists nationwide are advised to ensure their vehicles are properly registered and number plates clearly displayed to avoid arrest and prosecution under the new enforcement regime.

Source: https://www.pulse.ng/story/what-every-car-owner-in-nigeria-needs-to-know-before-the-police-crackdown-begins-2026061013010063597