Delta police impound 10 vehicles in Asaba as Operation Velvet begins

The Delta State Police Command has impounded ten vehicles in Asaba in a statewide crackdown that focuses heavily on eliminating improperly documented vehicles that criminal elements often exploit.

The operation tagged ‘Operation Velvet’ was directed by Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Rilwan Disu to bolster road safety and security nationwide.

The state Commissioner of Police, CP Samuel Etaifo Erale, who personally led the flag-off ceremony in Asaba, said that the operation is aimed at strengthening compliance with vehicle and traffic regulations, improving road safety and enhancing security across the state.

The operation rolled out simultaneously across all nine area commands and police divisions throughout the state.

The operation is tailored to track vehicles operating without valid documentation, unregistered vehicles, and those missing proper number plates, as well as vehicles utilising defaced, obscured, altered, or deliberately covered plates.

State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, in a statement on Tuesday, said that so far within Asaba, the state capital alone, ten vehicles were immediately impounded for traffic violations during the initial rollout.

“The operation targets vehicles without valid documents, unregistered vehicles, vehicles without number plates, and vehicles bearing defaced, obscured, altered or deliberately covered number plates. In the metropolis, ten vehicles were impounded for traffic violations and were subsequently taken to the mobile court in Asaba and are presently undergoing judicial processes.”

He disclosed that the vehicles have been transferred to a mobile court in Asaba, where they are currently undergoing judicial processing.

Addressing the press during the launch, CP Erale urged motorists and vehicle owners to ensure their paperwork is up to date and that approved number plates are clearly and visibly displayed.

Simultaneously, the Commissioner issued a strict directive to officers deployed for the exercise, demanding that they remain firm, civil, and professional. He explicitly warned that any form of extortion, harassment, or misconduct by personnel will be met with zero tolerance.

“The Command is determined to ensure the proper identification of vehicles, deny criminal elements the use of improperly identified transport, and strengthen the safety and security of roads across Delta State,” CP Erale stated.

CP Erale solicited the public’s full cooperation, assuring citizens that enforcement will strictly respect human rights and civic dignity.

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