Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde on Friday signed Executive Order No. 002 of 2026 to beef up security, enforce vehicle registration rules and tighten traffic management across the state. The move came after the abduction of teachers and pupils in Oriire Local Government Area.
At a signing ceremony in his Ibadan office, Makinde said the order gives a legal basis to enforce vehicle registration and traffic laws. He warned about the rising use of unregistered cars, motorcycles and tricycles in crime, saying missing registration details often frustrate security investigations. The order allows designated enforcement authorities to arrest offenders and impound vehicles, motorcycles and tricycles found breaking the law. Offenders will be prosecuted under existing laws and confiscated assets handled through due process.
Makinde tied the measures to lessons from recent security breaches, especially the Oriire kidnappings. “We are living through very trying times. For more than 20 days, our teachers and pupils have remained in captivity in the hands of terrorists. Our thoughts and prayers remain with them and their families who continue to endure unimaginable pain and uncertainty,” he said. He promised his administration was working with security agencies to secure the victims’ safe return. “As a government, we share in their anxiety and hope. We remain committed to doing everything within our power to secure the safe return of every one of them,” he added.
He declined to give operational details, saying work is ongoing behind the scenes and urging people not to see silence as inaction. A key clause of the order bars commercial motorcycle operators from working between 10:30 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. Residents were urged to report suspicious activity via the state’s toll-free line, 615. “If you see something, say something, and authorities will do something,” Makinde said, praising security agencies and the Amotekun Corps and urging unity and vigilance to strengthen security.
