Military arrest fake soldiers in Delta

By Nosa Eresoyen, Asaba

Troops of the 63 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Asaba, Delta State, on Sunday arrested a fake soldier, Green Ogonna 25, during routine patrol security exercise known as Operation CHECKMATE.

Assistant Director, Army Public Relations of the 63 Brigade Headquarters, Asaba, Captain George Okupe, in a statement in Asaba, disclosed that the suspect is from Nnewi South Local Government Area, Anambra State. The Army PRO said the suspect was arrested in his residence around Koka Junction, Asaba, following Intelligence report.

Captain George Okupe explained that during search operation, the military troops found army uniform and boots with pictures in army dressing of the suspect, parading himself as military officer, hung on the wall of his apartment. He said the suspect is currently in the custody of the Brigade Military Police for interrogation after which he will be handed over to the Police for further investigation

The Army spokesman also said that the military arrested one Mrs. Joyce Sulieman, 43, dressed in complete military camouflage along NPA expressway in Uvwie Local Government Area of the state.

Captain George Okupe said that the suspect (Green Ogonna) claimed to be a soldier, and has been extorting money from locals and unsuspecting members of the Public, including those carrying substances suspected to be Indian hemp, scraps to different destinations.

The statement indicated that during preliminary investigation, a picture of the suspect, Mrs. Joyce Sulieman, in possession of an AK47 rifle was seen in her mobile phone. It added that she had once been arrested and handed over to the Police for similar act in July 2018.

Meanwhile, one Mohammad Abdul 40, once arrested around Awai road for impersonation and handed over to the police for prosecution on April 14, 2020, has been re-arrested by the troops of Operation CHECKMATE during routine patrol for the same Offence.

The suspect was said to have been caught at a roadblock extorting money from unsuspecting motorists along the Onitsha-Asaba expressway. The Army disclosed that items recovered from him include fake military identity card, one jack knife, and a brown purse containing a substance suspected to be cannabis, that is indian hemp.

The military urged members of the public and law abiding citizens of the state to be wary of persons who parade themselves as military personnel, saying that the military troops would soon embark on operation search on the streets of Asaba to apprehend anyone not a military officer but impersonate the Army in camouflage.