The police in Rivers State have banned the use of Supernumerary Police license plate number in the state.

A release by the police spokesperson in the state, Nnamdi Omoni, said that the commissioner of police has also banned private individuals and corporate organizations from using revolving lights atop their vehicles.

Mr. Omoni, a deputy superintendent of police, said that people were using spy plate numbers and revolving lights on vehicles, indiscriminately, to breach traffic regulations and perpetrate other criminal acts in the state.

“The Command is disturbed by this trend and henceforth warns those concerned to within the next seven (7) days remove the unauthorized Spy plate numbers and revolving lights or face Prosecution,” Mr. Omoni said, adding that police officers have been directed to arrest defaulters and impound their vehicles.

The police authorities in Abuja, last year, changed the uniform of the Spy police to grey and black trouser to distinguish them from the police.

The then Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, had said the measure was part of his administration’s “strategy of curtailing the activities of criminally minded persons who disguise in police uniform to perpetuate their nefarious activities”.

Supernumerary Police, otherwise known as Spy police, is a collection of security personnel recruited on temporary basis by the police authorities to fill the shortfall in the number of police officers.

They are assigned mainly to protect private or public properties – like banks, schools and multinational companies – and their services as spy police ends immediately their services are no longer required by the individual or organisation.