Nigerian Army Parades 13 Suspected Impersonators In Lagos

Ayodeji Dedeigbo

 

Not less than 13 suspects have been paraded by the General Commanding Officer, GOC, 81 Division, Major General J O I, over alleged impersonation with Army Uniform.

 

In a speech delivered by the GOC, he said, the lockdown has helped the Army to apprehend impostors in Lagos State through the Operation Checkmate took effect during the lockdown.

 

“Today we have thirteen imposters to be paraded. We have the Lieutenant Colonel, a Major, and you will be shocked that these people are impersonating.

 

“The Lieutenant Colonel has his own house, has a picture frame with the Military Uniform, the same thing with the Major. When you check their internet page they are there as military persons, they have used Army letterhead to apply for a visa. Unfortunately, that is the wrong channel for applying for a visa. That is the problem we are having in Lagos state, and when all these people create problems within Lagos, and its environment, up to Ogun State, people say it is the  Nigeria Army.

 

“I want to use this medium to appeal to every law-abiding citizen and other security agencies, where they see soldiers like this, they should be bold to ask for their Identity Card and where they have doubt they should please make contact with the Military, and we will be able to make the arrest,” he said.

 

He stated that arrests were based on information and activities of Operation Checkmate.

 

“And we will continue to do these operations until we save Lagos, and its environs from hooligans who carry out nefarious activities. Some of them even have Military Uniforms,but we don’t know where they are getting it from and who is selling it for them. After these parades we will hand them over to the Police, for further investigations and prosecutions,” he told BlackBox Nigeria

 

The suspects paraded are Allen Afolabi Adegbyega 52, Afolabi Hassan , 45 Frank Eze, 38, Joseph Okere, 39, I’ve Eze , 23, Joseph Gabriel , 48, Sunday Olawale ,26, Fest us Nwanozie , 34, Siasia Sunday , 24,Adeleke Ebenezer ,32, Eze David ,26,Joel Akpan ,32, and Daramola Olamide ,19

While speaking with one of the suspects; Okere Joseph, he stated that he resides at No 15, Saheed Street Chemist area Okokomaiko Lagos. 

 

“I was arrested in Ojo area of Lagos for putting on Military Camouflage face cap escorting contraband rice, I was discharged voluntarily from 2004, but I still use Military Uniform to operate the illegal duties.

On his part, Emmanuel Akpan, said, he resides at 6th Avenue ,13 Road , A close House 8 Festac, area of Lagos State, that on April 20, 2020, he was arrested for putting on Military Camouflage Uniform to do escort ,and also provides Securities for the Celebrities.

 

Also, Frank Eze a resident of Navy town Road, Alakija, along Badagry Expressway, Lagos State m was arrested on April 25th  for wearing a Military to Iyana- Iba in Ojo,Lagos with Nigerian Army Insignia parading myself as a Military personnel extorting innocent civilians.

Ameh Ameh who resides in Shadawanka area of Bauchi State was dismissed from the Nigerian Army in 2011 for Conduct prejudice to service discipline but keeps his military uniform to perpetrate crime. He was also arrested in Festac town, because he was seen dressed in a Military Camouflage long sleeve vest with the face Cap, parading himself as a Military personnel on April 28, 2020.

Sunday Dagunro Olawale, a residence of No12, Seka Kayode Street, Okokomaiko, Lagos, was arrested on April 29, at Alaba international Market ,area of Ojo, Lagos for putting on a Military short and the T shirt with inscription of Nigeria Navy causing trouble under the  disguise of a Navy personnel in order to avenge assault on another suspected Naval Personnel.

 

He claimed to have been a member of a paramilitary organization – Six Scout.

 

Another suspect identified as Siasia Sunday, said he resides at No 10 Aduragbemi, Street , Shibiri,Ajangbadi,Lagos.

 

“I was arrested on April,29 for putting on a Military Camouflage vest and a Navy blue Trouser fighting Civil Defense Officers trying to avenge an assault on suspected non personnel.”

 

Festus Nwanozie, a resident of No,12, Olajumoke, Street , Obadore ,Iba Lagos, said he was arrested on April 30th at Mazamaza, first gate, along Mile 2 Lagos.

 

“I was arrested for putting on Camouflage face Cap molesting innocent civilians. Before I was arrested by the Nigerian Army,” he told BlackBox Nigeria

 

Another suspect who identified himself as Ebenezer Adeleke, said he was arrested in Alakuko ,Lagos.

 

“I was arrested for putting on a complete Army Uniform. A friend gave it to me ,because when the issue of the Covid-19 started ,I could not move about and I needed to move around.

 

“Anytime I want to go out I will put it on, nobody will demand a dime from me. I was dressed in a Nigerian Army woodland Camouflage Uniform, and was in possession of a genuine Nigeria Army ID belonging to 09NA/63/3595LCPL Sa’adu Aminu.

 

“I was once living in Signal Barrack Mile 2, with this same Sa’adu Aminu .

 

Another of the suspects who identified himself as Afolabi Hassan, a resident of No,19 Clem Road, Ijaiye Ojokoro, Lagos, said he was arrested in Abule-Egba ,Lagos on April 9, 2020.

 

“I was arrested for putting on complete woodland Nigerian Army Camouflage Uniform with a full Lieutenant Colonel rank and MP badge. I have been doing this since 2008. 

 

“I had earlier been arrested for the same offense. When Soldiers came to search my house that is when they saw one Army Pullover ,one woodland Camouflage T shirt, MP Anklet ,2 pairs of brown  Anklets, Two black work shoes, lanyards pairs of black Shoes, Lt Col ranks, 2 each for Nigerian Army Numbers 4,5,and 6 dresses, 2 Major rank badges, MP berets ,one MP Muffler.

 

Also  the Army saw in his apartment three white GD belts ,one copy of posting Nigeria Army Officers, forged 81 Provost  GP letterhead Papers ,and an enlarged photograph frame of the suspect in complete Number 4 dress.

 

Another suspect identified as Allen Afolabi,a resident of Olugba Community ,along Ilogbo  Road,Ogun State, said he was arrested on April 15, 2020.

 

”Soldiers came to search my house and discovered one big Portrait in Nigerian Army Woodland Camouflage Uniform with Captain rank.

 

“I also wrote in my house Military Zone Keep Off. Concealed Camouflage Uniforms and handcuffs were found in my house.

 

“Later when the Army asked to check my Facebook account, they saw me putting on different types of these uniforms. 

 

“I’m not really the person in that picture,I only cropped it, carved my head from the Computer, to make it look like me. I did it because the Land grabbers popularly call Omo-Onile coming to disturb me when I was trying to purchase my land, and ever since no one had ever come to disturb me till I finished.”