By Ola ‘Kiya, Reporting
The 81 Division Nigerian Army Military Police Personnel have arrested over 12 suspected impostors fully dressed in military camouflage uniforms.
Operatives of the Nigerian Army arrested the suspects during OPERATION CHECKMATE within Lagos and Ogun states.
General Officer Commanding (GOC), 81 Division Nigerian Army (NA), Major General Umar Thama Musa
The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 81 Division Nigerian Army (NA), Major General Umar Thama Musa, made the disclosure at a press briefing made available to Stonix News by Acting Deputy Director 81 Division Army Public Relations, Major Olaniyi Joseph Osoba.
He dispelled the narrative that all illicit acts committed by persons dressed in military uniforms are always military personnel.
He noted that persons displaying military banners and accoutrement such as belts and stickers on vehicles and driving commercial vehicles in military uniform as well as driving civil vehicle painted in Army colour are most often not personnel of the Nigerian Army.
The Suspects
The army boss said in an effort to curtail the ugly trend, the division has heightened the activities of OPERATION CHECKMATE to ensure regular arrest of impostors and offenders within the division’s area of responsibility.
The GOC disclosed that over 150 impostors have been arrested from January last year till date.
Major General Musa, during the parade of the suspects, explained that preliminary investigation revealed that some of the suspects specialized in mounting road blocks along Ajah road to extort money from motorist as well as indulge in other illegal duties while dressed in Nigerian Army Camouflage uniform.
According to him, there are some arrested suspects fully dressed in military uniform who were caught along the Ilaro-border area of Ogun State where they carrying out smuggling of rice and other contrabands.
The GOC said the arrested impostors would be handed over to the Nigerian Police for further action and urged members of the public to support the army by desisting from wearing military uniform and T- shirts, display of military banners, belts and stickers on vehicles as well as driving of civil vehicles painted in Army colour.
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