Army arrests fake naval personnel, 10 others with firearms in Lagos

Personnel from the 81 Division, Nigerian Army, have arrested a fake naval officer, Akingunola Folorunsho, and 10 others who have been parading themselves as military personnel in different parts of Lagos state.

Folorunsho, who was in possession of a firearm, was wearing a military camouflage jacket, when he was accosted driving in his Sienna vehicle, at Ago Palace area of Lagos.

The suspect who claimed to be a lieutenant of the Nigerian Navy, showed a fake identity card to prove same.

However, investigation by officers on ‘Operation checkmate’ and the intelligence group of the army division, revealed the suspect was an impostor.

Parading the 11 suspects at the 81 Division headquaters in Victoria Island, Lagos on Monday, the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 81 Division, Maj. Gen. Olu Irefin, said the suspects were part of those giving the army bad publicity.

Irefin stated further that the army was committed to sanitising the society of criminally minded persons, during and after the lockdown, hence the arrest of the 11 suspects with various military accoutrements.

“The suspects were arrested by officers of ‘Operation Checkmate’ of 81 Division, and the intelligence group.

“Today, we have before you 10 men and a lady parading themselves as military personnel within the Lagos area of responsibility and who have been causing mayhem and giving the military a bad image.

“We will continue in our efforts to sanitize the society; we will continue in our efforts to let the world know that most of the illegal activities going on in the state are not purely by the military. One of the arrested impostors claimed to be a lietunant colonel when he was arrested.

“Some are dismissed soldiers, some are dismissed naval ratings. One of them has a vehicle that is fully painted in military colour, the vehicle has been impounded.

“If the vehicle is going to be released, it has to be repainted in normal colours. These are part of the people giving us the bad image.

“For one of the suspects, this is the fourth time we are arresting him. Every time we hand him over, we still meet him on the street. We want to ask the law -abiding citizens to go about their normal duties, we will do our best to protect the citizens, ” Irefin stated.

In an attempt to defend his action, Folorunsho maintained he was a serving naval personnel with the merchant navy.

He argued that he has a license for his firearm and had showed same to the military personnel who arrested him.

He said: “I am an engineer on board ship MC Princess, it is not a military ship. I am a marine navy and I have a licence for my gun.

“The military jacket they found in my vehicle was the one I bought in Australia. I wear it only when I am going for hunting at my farm in Ondo state and that is also same purpose I use the gun for.

“I have told the army to call my unit, I am not an impostor. I had only gone out to collect governmmet food palliative for my family and was on my way back when I was arrested.”

Felix James, a dismissed soldier, who was arrested at Alakija area, begged to be reinstated into the military.

James, who said he last served at the 149 Battalion, Ojo, claimed he was dismissed in October 2019.

“I last served at 149 Battalion Ojo, as a lance corporal. I was however, dismissed in 2019, after I used an extra seven days after my pass had expired.

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“It is not my wish to still be wearing the uniform around, but it is the love for the job that still moves me to do so.

“I am appealing to the chief of army staff to please pardon me and reinstate me, I still love my job as a soldier and cannot imagine doing any other job,” he begged.

Cynthia Rose, the only female of the 11 suspects arrested, claimed she bought the military camouflage vest from a boutique.

Rosez who confessed being a commercial sex worker, said she was in front of her house at No. 49 Community Road, Ago Palace, Okota, when she was arrested.

The identities of the other suspects arrested were given as Ozonde Kelechi, Anusie Friday, Haruna Shuaibu, Abeed Adewale, Oyeyemi Adetunji Adewale, Nwabuwanne Emmanuel, Adeniyi Adesokan, and Sule Akinshiku.