Police arrest fake military officers in Bayelsa

The Bayelsa State Police Command has arrested two individuals for allegedly impersonating military personnel in separate incidents in the state capital.

The State Commissioner of Police, Iyamah Edebor, disclosed this on Friday while addressing journalists in his office in Yenagoa.

According to him, operatives attached to the Ekeki Division arrested one Kelechi Lazarus, 25, who was dressed in military camouflage with the rank of Corporal and allegedly attempted to fraudulently withdraw N200,000 from a Point of Sale operator at Ekeki Park, Yenagoa, by sending a fake bank alert.

Edebor said preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect showed the victim a purported credit alert on his mobile phone as proof of payment.

However, the POS operator did not receive any corresponding notification and insisted on verifying the transaction at her bank.

“Upon inquiry, the bank confirmed that no such transaction was made into her account,” the commissioner stated.

He explained that the suspect later persuaded the operator to accompany him to his bank for clarification, but changed his mind and suggested they proceed to his base at 16 Brigade.

“Suspecting foul play, the victim declined. The suspect assaulted her, inflicting bodily injuries on her,” Edebor added.

He said the victim immediately alerted the police control room, prompting operatives from the Ekeki Division to respond swiftly and arrest the suspect.

“Upon search, illicit substances were recovered from him. Investigation further revealed that the suspect had allegedly defrauded several members of the public in different states using a similar modus operandi,” he said.

The commissioner disclosed that he contacted the Military Police of 16 Brigade for verification of the suspect’s identity, which confirmed that Lazarus was a dismissed soldier from the 82 Division, Enugu, in 2024.

The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation, after which the suspect will be charged to court.

In a related development, the command also arrested another suspect, Isah Aliyu Umar, 25, for allegedly impersonating a Lieutenant of the Nigerian Navy.

Police said falsified documents and other exhibits were recovered from him.

Edebor affirmed that both suspects would be prosecuted accordingly, reiterating the command’s resolve to clamp down on impersonation and related criminal activities in the state.

Culled from punch