Abuja: The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has announced the arrest of 1,691 individuals for offenses related to overloading, mixed loading, and the use of fake diplomatic number plates, among other violations, within a span of just five days. This significant enforcement action was carried out under a special operation known as ‘Operation Guduma.’
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the arrests were part of a nationwide enforcement initiative aimed at reinforcing the corps’ zero-tolerance policy towards road safety violations and security threats. The operation, under the leadership of Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed, was conducted simultaneously across critical transport corridors in eleven states.
The operation specifically targeted dangerous practices such as overloading, mix-loading, and the use of fake diplomatic number plates, which pose threats to public safety and security. The crackdown resulted in the arrest of 683 individuals for overloading and mix-loading, 1,003 for number plate-related offenses, and five for using fake diplomatic number plates.
Osundu Ohaeri, the Corps Public Education Officer, highlighted the growing culture of impunity among road users who exploit illegal vehicle identities and disregard safety regulations. The operation exposed widespread abuses of unauthorized association number plates and deceptive registration schemes.
Shehu Mohammed, the corps marshal, noted that the operation revealed critical vulnerabilities that could lead to road traffic crashes, facilitate criminal activities, and undermine trust in vehicle identification systems. He emphasized that such violations are direct threats to public safety and national security.
The FRSC plans to continue employing intelligence-led enforcement strategies to dismantle these practices and ensure road safety. The recent operation also uncovered vehicles with dangerously unlatched containers and overloaded cargoes, increasing the risk of catastrophic crashes and economic losses.
Mohammed reiterated the FRSC’s commitment to a zero-tolerance approach towards violators, stressing the importance of road safety. He assured that the success of Operation Guduma would lead to further institutionalization of such interventions and stronger collaboration with security agencies to ensure offenders are prosecuted.