The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has commenced the second phase of Operation Guduma, a special patrol aimed at targeting fake, covered, defaced, and obsolete vehicle number plates throughout the country.
This five-day operation will take place from Monday, November 2, to Friday, November 6, 2026. It aims to enhance road safety enforcement and tackle security issues linked to the illegal use of vehicle registration plates.
Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed has approved this operation, which will be carried out in selected states under the supervision of designated senior officers.
According to the FRSC, this second phase builds on the success of the first phase held in May 2026, where officials made 1,691 arrests across 11 states.
Out of all arrests made, 1,003 drivers faced charges for various offenses related to number plates. Additionally, 683 individuals were caught for overloading or mixed-loading their vehicles. Five people were arrested for using fake diplomatic number plates.
The Corps stated that this renewed effort comes after concerns from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) about the growing use of fake, hidden, damaged, outdated, and counterfeit diplomatic number plates.
They emphasized that such practices create serious security threats since vehicles with untraceable or fraudulent registration plates can be used to avoid detection, disrupt security monitoring efforts, and hinder criminal investigations.
The FRSC announced that Operation Guduma Phase Two aims to support national security efforts by ensuring proper vehicle identification and encouraging accountability among drivers.
This operation will also work to keep traffic flowing smoothly on specific routes, offer emergency rescue services, and quickly remove any road blockages.
Speaking on the operation, Mohammed stated that using fake, hidden, damaged, or outdated number plates will no longer be seen as a minor traffic violation due to its impact on public safety and national security.
He urged drivers to make sure their vehicle registration plates are authentic, valid, clearly visible, and displayed correctly.
He also asked the public to assist FRSC officers during the operation while instructing participating officers to perform their duties professionally, uphold discipline, and respect citizens’ rights.
Mohammed specifically requested that personnel treat situations involving diplomatic number plates with appropriate respect and follow established diplomatic protocols.
The Corps emphasized that this operation highlights its commitment to ensuring all vehicles on Nigerian roads are identifiable and preventing motorists from using registration issues to avoid legal responsibility.
This was contained in a statement issued on Saturday by the Corps Public Education Officer, Osondu Ohaeri, at the FRSC National Headquarters in Abuja.
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