Abuja, June 1, 2026 — The Federal Road Safety Corps has apprehended 1,691 offenders across the country for violations including overloading, mixed loading, and the use of fake diplomatic number plates within a five-day enforcement operation.
This was disclosed on Monday in Abuja by the Corps Public Education Officer, Osundu Ohaeri, who said the arrests were made under a nationwide special intervention tagged “Operation Guduma.”
According to him, the exercise formed part of intensified enforcement efforts aimed at reinforcing the corps’ zero-tolerance stance on road traffic violations and security-related offences under the leadership of Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed.
Ohaeri explained that the coordinated operation was carried out simultaneously across major transport routes in 11 states.
He said offenders were arrested for various infractions, including overloading, mixed loading, and falsification or misuse of vehicle number plates, including fake diplomatic registrations.
“Within the period under review, 683 persons were arrested for overloading and mixed loading, 1,003 for number plate-related offences, while five individuals were caught using fake diplomatic number plates,” he stated.
He noted that the operation revealed a rising pattern of disregard for traffic laws, as well as the manipulation of vehicle identity systems to evade detection and enforcement.
According to him, the exercise also exposed widespread use of unauthorised and fraudulent registration plates, often deployed to bypass lawful checks.
He quoted the Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, as warning that such practices pose serious risks to road safety and national security, adding that they could facilitate criminal activities and undermine public confidence in vehicle identification systems.
Mohammed stressed that misuse of diplomatic plates and persistent loading violations go beyond traffic offences, describing them as threats to lives and security.
He reaffirmed that the corps would continue to adopt intelligence-driven enforcement strategies to eliminate such practices nationwide.
He also disclosed that several vehicles were found carrying unsafe loads, including improperly secured cargo and overloaded containers, which significantly increase the risk of crashes and fatalities.
The Corps Marshal reiterated that the FRSC would maintain its strict enforcement policy, insisting that road safety compliance remains non-negotiable.
He added that with the success of the operation, plans were underway to extend and institutionalise similar interventions across major highways in the country.
Mohammed further assured that collaboration with other security agencies would be strengthened to ensure offenders are not only arrested but also prosecuted.