The Standard Organisation of Nigeria ( SON ) has warned motorists against using re-threaded tyres, saying that they are dangerous and can lead to serious accidents on the road.
The State Coordinator of SON in Kwara, Mr Sunday Yashim, gave the warning on Wednesday in Ilorin while briefing newsmen on the danger of using retreaded tires.
Yashim expressed concern over the rate at which some Nigerian patronised dealers on re-threaded and expired tyres, thereby exposing their lives to danger.
He said the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC ) had apprehended two men that were involved in illegal re-threading of tyres in Ilorin and handed them over to SON.
“We are working in collaboration with the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps to monitor and locate the hideouts of those involved in illegal re-threading of tyres in Ilorin,” Yashim added.
He, therefore, warned motorists to be very careful while buying tyres, noting that some tyres that appeared new on display might have expired and been re-threaded.
“Such tyres are also referred to as ‘life in danger’ products. Using such tyres is very dangerous.
“Motorists have to be wary of the kind of tyres they buy because some of them actually look new and are very difficult to detect.
“Based on the information we gathered, two locations have been identified as where tyres are being re-threaded illegally here in Ilorin.
“The first culprit was caught re-threading tyres used by commercial vehicles and was apprehended by the NSCDC on Oct. 1, 2017 at Agaka area of Ilorin and was handed over to us.
“The accused said that bad tyres were usually brought to him by drivers, mainly commercial drivers, for re-threading,” he said.
Yashim said however that only vehicles that had maximum speed limit of 60 kilometre per hour could use retreaded tires but that it was illegal for commercial vehicles.
“The only tires that are allowed to be retreaded are those used by trucks or vehicles that have not more than 60 km per hour speed limit, he added.