Taskforce arrests six impersonators in 4 months

Lagos State Taskforce on environmental offences said it had arrested six persons, who allegedly specialised in using its officials, and military personnel camouflage to carry out various crimes.

The Director, Press and Public Affairs of the agency, Mr Gbadeyan Abdulraheem confirmed the arrest on Sunday to the News Agency of Nigeria.

Earlier, Abdulraheem said in a statement, that one suspect was arrested on Sunday in Oshodi area while trying to steal a motorcycle from its owner while wearing the agency’s official camouflage.

Abdulraheem said that the suspect specialised in impersonating officials of the agency with his camouflage trousers and wallet, to dispossess unsuspecting motorcyclists of their bikes and valuables in different parts of the state.

The spokesman said they arrested six of such impersonators between January and April, stressing that reports of fake Taskforce personnel were becoming worrisome to the agency.

“We will carry on with this mope-up exercise till every single fake official is arrested and taken to court.

“This will serve as a deterrent to others, who might be nursing the idea of impersonation,” he stated.

The image maker said the victim and motorcycle owner, Yahaya Usman, 19 years old, said he was flagged down by the suspect around Mafoluku Oshodi, asking him to take him ( suspect) to the inner parts of Oshodi.

Abdulraheem said on getting to the destination, the suspect asked the rider to divert to a different location where he pushed him off the bike and sped off with the motorcycle.

He said the motorcyclist chased the suspect until he caught up with him, before the task force officers close-by came to his rescue and arrested the suspect.

Abdulraheem said the suspect confessed to having been into the illicit trade of impersonating military and paramilitary officers because it gave him free access on the roads, and also some privileges across the country.