The Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has issued a stern warning to motorists against purchasing vehicle number plates from unauthorized vendors and touts operating in Abuja.
This caution comes in response to a reported scarcity of official number plates across the territory, which has created an opportunity for illegal operators to exploit desperate vehicle owners.
According to the DRTS, the current shortage can be attributed to irregular and insufficient supply from the National Vehicle Identification Scheme (NVIS) Plant, which is responsible for the production and distribution of vehicle number plates nationwide.
Despite the ongoing challenges, the Directorate has reassured FCT residents that significant efforts are underway to address the shortage and normalize the supply of number plates in the territory.
The DRTS emphasized that purchasing number plates from unauthorized sources not only violates traffic regulations but also poses security risks, as such plates are not properly registered in the national database used by security agencies for vehicle identification and tracking.
Motorists are advised to exercise patience and only obtain their vehicle number plates through official DRTS channels to avoid legal complications and ensure their vehicles are properly documented in the system.
The Directorate has promised to provide updates as the situation improves and supply normalizes across the Federal Capital Territory.
