“I use Army uniform, firearm for hunting, not criminality”

The Nigerian Army on Monday in Lagos paraded one Akingunola Folorunsho for unlawful possession of firearm, using of military uniform and impersonation as a Nigerian Navy Lieutenant.

He was paraded before newsmen with 10 others by the General Officer Commanding, (GOC) 81 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Olu Irefin, one week after some fake soldiers were also paraded at the headquarters, 81 Division, for committing various offences within Lagos metropolis.

They were arrested for using military uniforms and accoutrements, fake identity cards, harassment of civilians, escorting of vehicles and committing other different crimes within Lagos metropolis.

The GOC, Major General Olu Irefin, while parading them in his office, explained that the impersonators were arrested by Operation Checkmate and Intelligence group of 81 Division at different locations.

He pointed out that they have been causing the Nigerian army huge embarrassment and bad image. “They are causing mayhem and given the military a bad image,” he stated.

“We would continue in our efforts to sanitize the society and also tell the world that most of the illegal activities going on within Lagos area is not purely by the military.

“You can see them; they are 11, consisting of 10 males and one female.
One of them claimed to be a Lieutentant Colonel while some are dismissed soldier and naval rating.

“One of them, Mr Akingunola Folorunsho, has a vehicle fully painted with military colour. The vehicle with registration number: Lagos APP 599 EU, has been impounded and even if it will be released, it has to be painted to the normal colour,” Gen Irefin pointed out.

He expressed shock that one of the impostors, Sule Akinshiku, was being arrested for the fourth time and has always perfected ways of evading punishment after they might have handed him over to the law enforcement agents for prosecution.

“Akinshiku has been arrested several times, and this is the fourth time he would be arrested for the same offence and handed over and we still meet him in the street. He has Nigerian Army Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, (NAEME), Military Police, 81 Division Armoured lineyard and insignia.

“However, we want to assure law abiding citizens to go about their normal activities within Lagos and we would continue to protect them,” Gen Irefin reiterated.

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Explaining how he got the army uniform, Akinshiku, who was arrested in Obalende, Northwest, Ikoyi for wearing the No 5 Army Tetron uniform and armed with a fake identity card, explained that a soldier working at 65 Battalion, Bonny Cantonment gave him the uniform with which he escorted civilian vehicles carrying goods for a fee of N4,000 or more.

He further disclosed that the soldier encouraged him to wear the uniform to escort vehicles and had always remitted some money to him depending on how much he was able to realise on daily basis.

Asked how he has always evaded justice the three times he was arrested and handed over to the police for prosecution, Akinshiku revealed that on one occasion, he was remanded in prison but was bailed by his family due to his fragile health condition which required surgery before he committed the offence of impersonation for which he was paraded.

But like a cat with nine lives, he promised to be of good conduct and shun military dresses if given the opportunity to be a free man.

On his part, Folorunsho, who was arrested with firearm (Double barrel gun), military uniform, and impersonating a Nigerian Navy lieutenant, claimed he was a Marine Navy who had worked onboard a merchant ship “MC PRINCES” from Norway.

He further stated that he bought the uniforms during one of his foriegn trips to Australia. He feigned ignorance of not knowing that he was not supposed to wear military uniform in Nigeria. On the firearm, he added that he was licensed for use and had renewed it at SARS office Ikeja in December, 2019. “I was on my way to Ondo state for hunting and gaming with the gun, and I have a farm there too.”

Among those arrested were Miss Cynthia Rose Dominic, the only female among them from Anambra State, for putting on camouflage vest and claimed to be a serving military personnel; Mr Adeniyi Adesokan of Owode area, Ogun state and paraded himself as a Lieutenant Colonel in order to secure a motorcycle that was impounded by the police; Mr Nwabuwanne Emmanuel of No 4 Igbo Elerin road, Iba and was found to be in possession of Nigerian Navy identity card and specialised in escorting civil vehicles carrying goods.

Others also arrested and paraded for varying offences included Mr Oyeyemi Adetunji Adewale of No: 20 Idi Orogbo Iyana Iroko, Sango Otta, Ogun state for using military uniform to harrass innocent civilians; Mr Abeed Adewale of No: 62 Kola Street, AIT Road, Agbado Area; Mr James Felix of Alakija, Badagry Expressway, Lagos and claimed to have been dismissed from service while serving in the North East after absenting himself from duty for one week.

Also, Mr Ozonde Kelechi of No: 12 Akanbi Street, Ajegunle Lagos was arrested for not only using army camuoflage T-Shirt but was in possession of fake Nigerian Army identity card; and Mr Anusie Friday of Ago area with a fake Nigerian Army identity card while claiming to be a private soldier of the Nigerian Army.