The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, has arrested 1,691 motorists nationwide in a 5-day special enforcement operation targeting overloading, mix-loading, and fraudulent vehicle identification, including fake diplomatic number plates.
The operation, codenamed Operation Guduma, was executed simultaneously across critical transport corridors in 11 states under the directive of Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed.
According to a statement signed by FRSC Corps Public Education Officer, Deputy Corps Commander Osondu Ohaeri, the sweep yielded 683 arrests for overloading and mix-loading, 1,003 arrests for number plate-related offences, and five suspects caught using fake diplomatic number plates.
Corps Marshal Mohammed described the findings as “revealing and alarming,” warning that the abuse of unauthorised association plates and diplomatic tags exposes critical security vulnerabilities. He said such practices fuel road crashes, facilitate criminal activities, and undermine public trust in vehicle identification systems.
“The misuse of diplomatic number plates and persistent loading violations represent not merely traffic offences but direct threats to public safety and national security,” Mohammed stated. “Road safety cannot be negotiated. Every preventable crash avoided translates into lives saved, families protected and national productivity preserved.”
The operation also uncovered numerous vehicles operating with dangerously unlatched containers and overloaded cargoes — conditions FRSC says significantly increase the risk of catastrophic crashes, fatalities, and economic losses.
Buoyed by the results, the Corps announced plans to institutionalize Operation Guduma across major highways nationwide. It will also strengthen collaboration with security and law enforcement agencies to ensure offenders are not only apprehended but prosecuted.
FRSC reiterated its zero-tolerance stance on violations and urged motorists to comply with safety regulations to reduce crashes and save lives.
