The Lagos State Police Command has arrested four persons for allegedly parading themselves as army officers at Aina Street, Oshodi and other parts of Lagos on February 19, 2024.
Police source says the quartet of Ben Okafor, Darlington Iheanacho, Jonathan Yahaya, and Mohammed Umar were nabbed following sting operations across the state.
Okafor and Iheanacho were apprehended on Monday at about 10:30pm at Aina Street.
The source told our correspondent that Okafor, who had claimed to be a corporal in the Nigerian Army, was caught with a jackknife alongside Iheanacho during a scuffle with another man identified simply as Oludotun.
Although the police had yet to ascertain the extent of Oludotun’s involvement in the alleged crime, he was suspected to be an accomplice of the duo.
After some policemen who arrived at the scene searched the two suspects, when their identities became doubtful, a fake Nigerian Army identity card bearing Corporal Geoffrey Emmanuel with serial number 140861, a jackknife, and pepper spray were said to have been recovered from them.
The police source said, “Okafor, who claimed to be a Corporal in the Nigerian Army, was seen with a jack knife alongside one Darlington Chidebere Iheanacho fighting one Oludotun. The latter reported that the soldier was chasing him with a jack knife and threatened to kill him.
“After the suspects were arrested and searched, a fake Nigerian Army identity card bearing CPL Geoffrey Emmanuel with serial no. 140861, a jack knife, and pepper spray were recovered from them.”
In a similar development just a few hours apart, Yahaya and Umar were also arrested for allegedly wearing black combat boots and camouflage trousers from the Nigerian Army uniforms.
Upon interrogation, however, it was learnt from the source that the suspects were believed to be imposters after they had failed to disclose their real identities and how they had obtained their uniforms.
