Fake Number Plates: FRSC Launches “Operation Guduma II” After 1,691 Arrests In First Phase

By Omoyeni Ojeifo

Motorists using fake, concealed, defaced and obsolete vehicle number plates face a fresh crackdown as the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) launches the second phase of its special enforcement operation, Operation Guduma.

According to the FRSC, Operation Guduma Phase Two would strengthen vehicle identification and complement broader national security efforts by ensuring that motorists remain accountable for their activities on Nigerian roads.

The five-day intervention, scheduled for November 2 to 6, 2026, will target motorists violating vehicle registration regulations, amid growing security concerns over the use of fraudulent number plates to evade identification and frustrate criminal investigations.

Approved by the Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, the operation will cover selected states, with specially designated senior officers deployed to coordinate and supervise enforcement activities.

The second phase follows the first operation conducted in May 2026, which resulted in 1,691 arrests across 11 states, highlighting the scale of violations confronting road safety authorities.

Of the total arrests, 1,003 motorists were apprehended for various number plate offences, 683 for overloading and mixed-loading, while five others were arrested for using fake diplomatic number plates.

The renewed crackdown also follows concerns raised by the Office of the National Security Adviser over the increasing use of counterfeit, covered, defaced and obsolete vehicle registration plates, including fraudulent diplomatic plates.

“Vehicles operating with unidentifiable registration plates create opportunities for criminals to evade security surveillance, conceal their identities and undermine investigations,” the corps warned in a statement emailed to PerSecondNews on Saturday, by Osondu Ohaeri, the Corps Public Education Officer.

Beyond the number plate enforcement, the operation will also focus on maintaining free-flowing traffic along designated routes, emergency rescue operations and the prompt removal of road obstructions.

Corps Marshal Mohammed warned that the use of fake, concealed, defaced or obsolete number plates would no longer be treated as an ordinary traffic violation, given the wider implications for public safety and national security.

He directed motorists to ensure their vehicle registration plates are genuine, valid, clearly visible and properly displayed, while urging members of the public to cooperate with FRSC personnel during the exercise.

Mohammed also charged personnel to conduct the operation professionally, with discipline and respect for citizens’ rights, particularly when dealing with vehicles bearing diplomatic number plates.

He further emphasised that engagements involving diplomatic vehicles must be handled with appropriate courtesy and in strict compliance with applicable diplomatic protocols.

The Corps maintained that the intervention was part of sustained efforts to protect lives, safeguard property, strengthen road safety enforcement and prevent the exploitation of vehicle registration irregularities.