The Oyo State House of Assembly has called for the implementation of valid identification verification to ensure the safety of lodgers at various hotels across the 33 local government areas of the state.
It also stressed the need for maintaining up-to-date guest logs, accessible to authorised personnel, in hotels and guesthouses throughout the state.
This formed part of the resolution on a motion sponsored by the lawmaker representing Oluyole State Constituency, Hon. Waheed Akintayo, and co-sponsored by Hon. Rasak Mabaje and Hon. Mrs. Olubisi Michael of Ido and Ogbomosho North State Constituencies, respectively, during a recent plenary sitting.
Presenting the motion, the Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Abiodun Fadeyi, revealed that hotels are increasingly being used by fraudsters, commonly known as “Yahoo Boys,” who perpetrate cybercrimes and sextortion schemes within these establishments.
“Investigations have shown that some fraudsters deliberately reside in hotels for extended periods to operate undetected,” he said.
“These criminals exploit the anonymity provided by hotels, where poor guest registration and monitoring systems allow them to evade law enforcement.”
Hon. Akintayo noted that a significant number of hotels and guesthouses in Ibadan and across Oyo State are not duly registered with the government, despite the rapid expansion of the hospitality sector.
He added that this lack of proper registration makes it difficult for regulatory agencies to track establishments 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 has therefore directed its Standing Committees on Security and Strategies, and Culture and Tourism, to engage relevant stakeholders — including the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Oyo State Hotels Owners Association — to deliberate on measures to curb the menace of insecurity in hotels and guesthouses across the state.
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