The Rivers State police command has enforced a nightly restriction on tricycle operations, effective from 10:00 p.m., following a spike in "one-chance" criminal activities. The directive, issued by Commissioner of Police CP Olugbenga Adepoju, applies to all commercial tricycles across the state. ASP Blessing Agabe, the command's spokesperson, disclosed the measure during a briefing in Port Harcourt on Sunday. She stated that the restriction remains fully in force and warned operators and owners against violations, which will lead to arrest and prosecution.
Additional security measures take effect from May 18, including a ban on tinted glass or any covering that hides passengers in commercial tricycles. Any tricycle found in breach of this rule will be impounded. The police also prohibited the concealment of vehicle number plates and the use of unregistered vehicles. Owners are required to regularise their documentation or face arrest.
Agabe urged community stakeholders, local security outfits, and divisional police officers to strengthen collaboration to improve intelligence and public safety. Residents were advised to remain vigilant, avoid boarding vehicles in isolated or poorly lit areas, and refrain from using tricycles with tinted or covered interiors. Commuters should share travel details with trusted contacts, avoid displaying valuables, and ensure they can exit vehicles easily. Sitting between unknown occupants is discouraged.
The police reiterated their commitment to protecting lives and property. Residents were reminded to document vehicle details before boarding and report suspicious movements to the nearest police station.
CP Olugbenga Adepoju enforces a night-time tricycle ban while his own administration approved the vehicles' operation under previous conditions that allowed late-hour movement. ASP Blessing Agabe demands compliance from operators who may have invested based on earlier police tolerance of night rides. If the 'one-chance' threat is urgent enough for a May 18 crackdown, the delay in implementing tinted-glass bans raises questions about prior risk assessments. Residents now bear the burden of proof for vigilance, even as police redefine the rules of transit safety mid-cycle.
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