The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has initiated a renewed enforcement operation in Benue State, targeting motorists who violate vehicle registration and road traffic regulations. The exercise, dubbed Operation Guduma, is the second phase of a special nationwide intervention patrol covering Benue and 11 other states. This five-day operation commenced on November 2, 2026, with a flag-off ceremony held at Agan Toll Gate, Makurdi.
Corps Commander Christopher Haruna Kuje, representing the Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, stated that the operation would focus on vehicles displaying fake, concealed, defaced, or expired number plates, as well as unregistered vehicles. Motorists involved in overloading passengers, animals, and goods would also be apprehended during the exercise. The operation aims to tackle security challenges linked to vehicles that cannot be properly identified.
The term "Guduma," meaning hammer in Hausa, symbolizes the Corps' determination to clamp down on traffic violations. Kuje noted that the use of fake or non-existent vehicle registration numbers makes it difficult for security agencies to establish the identities of vehicle owners and track them when criminal activities are reported. This has significant implications for national security and law enforcement.
Officers from the FRSC national headquarters have been deployed to monitor the operation in collaboration with state commands and other security agencies. The Corps Commander revealed that the first phase of Operation Guduma, conducted between May 18 and 22, 2026, led to the arrest of over 1,600 motorists across 11 states. These offenders were subjected to legal proceedings.
Motorists found using counterfeit diplomatic number plates were transferred to the Department of State Services for further investigation. Kuje called on vehicle owners and drivers to comply with registration requirements and other traffic regulations. He emphasized that the enforcement campaign would not end with the special patrol.
State commands would sustain the operation beyond November 6, 2026, when the five-day nationwide intervention is scheduled to conclude. The FRSC is working to ensure that vehicle owners and drivers adhere to the regulations, and those who do not comply will face the consequences. This move is part of a broader effort to enhance road safety and security.
The FRSC's efforts to curb traffic violations and enhance national security are ongoing. With the second phase of Operation Guduma underway, motorists in Benue State and other targeted areas are urged to comply with vehicle registration and road traffic regulations to avoid arrest and prosecution.
Key points
- The FRSC has launched a renewed enforcement operation in Benue State to apprehend motorists violating vehicle registration and road traffic regulations.
- The operation, tagged Operation Guduma, focuses on vehicles displaying fake, concealed, defaced, or expired number plates, as well as unregistered vehicles.
- Over 1,600 motorists were arrested during the first phase of Operation Guduma, conducted between May 18 and 22, 2026, across 11 states.
