Crime
Fake naval officers with weapons arrested in Rivers
The Commanding Officer of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder on Monday in Port Harcourt paraded seven fake naval officers who specialised in terrorising and swindling commercial boat operators in Port Harcourt.
The Commander, Commodore Sam Bura, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder, said the seven fake officers who claimed to be Merchant Navy used fake naval uniforms, identification cards with the intent to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.
National Daily gathered that the arrest of the suspects was as a result of lowed reports by commercial boat operators at Abuloma Jetty area of Port Harcourt.
Represented by Cdr. Mamman Alushi of the NNS Pathfinder Base Intelligent Office, explained that
“On July 19, naval troops raided criminal hideouts along Abuloma Jetty and arrested seven suspects who belonged to an illegal outfit known as Merchant Navy Seafarers Association of Nigeria.
“Weapons seized from the suspects are machetes, assorted knives, electric shock baton and a vehicle that is boldly written: “Merchant Navy”.
“The suspects while undergoing interrogation claimed that they were at Abuloma jetty to enforce safety regulations to commercial boat operators.
“One wonders how an individual or organisation could use machetes, knives and electric shock baton to enforce safety regulations if not to intimidate and extort members of the public,’’ he said.
It was further gathered that the suspects had extorted huge sums of money from residents and companies within their camp area.
The Commander reiterated that the Merchant Navy and other related organisations were proscribed by a Federal Government Gazette in 2013 over breach to national security and impersonation of the navy.
He pointed out that the illegal organisation charges trainees as much as N250,000 noting that when they raided their camp in 2016 at Isaka, in Okirika Local Government of Rivers, over 1,000 recruits were in training.
On completion of investigation, it was learnt, the suspects and arms recovered from them would be handed over to the police.