Oyo Assembly Seeks Mandatory ID Verification, Guest Logs in Hotels to Curb Cybercrime

The Oyo State House of Assembly has called on the Executive arm of government to implement a standardised guest registration system across all hotels and guesthouses in the state, mandating valid identification checks and up-to-date guest logs accessible to authorized personnel.

This resolution followed a motion presented during Tuesday’s plenary by Hon. Waheed Akintayo, representing Oluyole State Constituency, and co-sponsored by Hon. Rasak Mabaje (Ido) and Hon. Mrs. Olubisi Michael (Ogbomosho North).

In his presentation, Hon. Akintayo expressed concern over the rising trend of hotels being used as safe havens for cybercriminals, popularly known as “Yahoo Boys,” who engage in fraudulent activities and sextortion from within these establishments.

The lawmakers emphasised that enforcing stricter guest registration protocols would enhance security and assist law enforcement in tracking criminal activities linked to hotel use.

“Investigation has shown that some fraudsters deliberately reside in hotels for extended periods to operate undetected.

“These criminals exploit the anonymity of hotels, where poor guest registration and monitoring system allow them to evade law enforcement”, the motion reads in part.

According to Hon. Akintayo, the significant number of hotels and guest houses in Ibadan and across Oyo State are not duly registered with the Government despite the rapid expansion of the hospitality sector.

He added that the lack of adequate registration makes it difficult for regulatory agencies to track establishment in operation, enforce security standards and ensure compliance with necessary regulations.

“Mandatory registration and periodic renewal will enable the Government to monitor these businesses effectively and enforce security measures where needed”, the motion stated

The House, however, directed its Standing Committee on Security and Strategies and its counterpart from Culture and Tourism to engage all relevant stakeholders including the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Oyo State Hotels Owners Association and deliberate on the measures to put in place in curbing the menace of insecurity in hotels and guest houses across the state.

Leave a Reply