Ndudi Anyim
Two impostors, Anya Okorie and Usman Ali, have been arrested for impersonating a police Inspector and an Army personnel, respectively.
It was gathered that Okorie, 45, who had been parading himself as a policemen for over five years, was fully kitted in police accoutrement, when he was arrested at Ketu area of the state.
Similarly, Ali, 21, was arrested by policemen attached to the Surulere Police Division, dressed in military camouflage vest.
SWAfrica News gathered that Ali and two of his accomplices, now at a large, had chased one Onyema to the police division, where Ali stabbed him with a jack knife.
Speaking on the arrest of the suspects in a statement on Thursday, the state’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said while Ali has been charged to Surulere Magistrate Court 3, Okorie would soon be charged to court.
Adejobi said, “The Lagos State Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr. Hakeem Odumosu, has directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Yaba, DCP Adegoke Fayoade, to immediately prosecute one Anya Okorie, of No 7 Alabata Street, Ikotun, Lagos, that was recently arrested by the police operatives attached to Ketu Division.
“Also, one Usman Ali, of No 51, Ali Balogun Street, Ijora Oloye, Lagos, was arrested with the Nigerian Army Camouflage Vest by police operatives attached to Surulere Division.
“The fake Inspector, Anya Okorie, was arrested on complete police uniform with the rank of Inspector of Police at Ketu while parading himself in a suspicious manner. Usman was arrested within the premises of Surulere Division when he and his accomplice, now at large, chased and attacked one Onyema, with a jack knife in the Division, putting on camouflage vests.
“The two suspects have since confessed to be fake police officer and Army personnel respectively. In fact, Usman further confessed to be an Okada operator.”
Items recovered from the suspects were two mopol Berets, two lanyards, two mobile police khaki trousers, three mobile T-shirts, Sgt. Rank and Mobile Squadron badges, Army Camouflage vest and a Jack knife.
The PPRO said the Commissioner of Police, condemned the act of impersonation by some individuals in the state and ordered Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) and detectives to be on the lookout for the impersonators.
He revealed that the state’s Police boss had also ordered that every police personnel in the state at all time possess police warrant card or identity card as a major means of identification, even while on uniform, being a practice in the police.
“CP Hakeem Odumosu has directed the Divisional Police Officers, Intelligence Detectives and Heads of Department in the command to go after any impersonators and cause them to face the full wrath of the law as many Lagosians are being deceived by their conducts and antics.
“He also warned the general public to beware of such impersonators who are fond of impersonating the police, military or other security agencies at the detriment of our security system, ” he stated.
Adejobi added that the Mr. Odumosu assured the public that the command would work with other security agencies in the state to fight acts of impersonation in order to sanitise the system and solidify the security platforms in Lagos State.