The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested two suspects for the illegal possession of firearms and impersonation as military personnel in Kogi State.
Parading the suspects on Friday at the command headquarters in Lokoja, the Kogi State Commandant of NSCDC, Paul Igwebuike said one Mohammed Yahaya, 36 years of age was arrested on the 3rd of April 2024 at the early hour of the day at Sarkin Norma, a suburb of Lokoja metropolis by officers of the command on routine patrol for allegedly being in possession of locally made pistol and axe.
Commandant Igwebuike noted that the suspect perpetrated the crime in company of two other suspects who are currently at large.
Igwebuike said “Upon noticing a plan for officers to arrest them, they escaped. However, the suspects denied knowing the identity of the suspects who are at large. He also denied any knowledge of the things contained in his leather bag including the pistol and the axe. We are on the trail of those at large. Mohammed Yahaya will be charged to court as soon as the investigation is complete”.
The NSCDC Commandant intimated the public that the second suspect identified as Abdullahi Tukur was arrested for cheating and impersonation as a military personnel in Kogi State.
According to him, “On the 2nd of April 2024, a suspect Abdullahi Tuku male 19 years from Global Credent Academy Lokoja was handed over to NSCDC by the military personnel for allegedly swindling members of the public of their hard-earned money under the guise of recruiting them into the Nigeria army.
“He was able to parade himself as a military personnel after he kitted up himself with a full military uniform that was accessed from the house of his host. He confessed to the alleged offense and will be charged to court as soon as the investigation is concluded”.
The Commandant, however, warned criminally minded individuals in Kogi State to have a change of mind and embrace the true way of living.
“On the other hand, if for any reason they believe that doing it the wrong way is the best, they should better relocate from Kogi State,” he added.
One of the suspects who was allegedly caught with a locally made pistol, and axe alongside two other suspects who are currently at large denied committing the crime leveled against him by the NSCDC.
Giving details of the alleged crime, the suspect said, “I am an Okada rider. I called my friend that I don’t have money that I will use to do my license. He told me to come out and do Okada here. When I entered Lokoja, that was the day I saw these two people on the road who I carried from Nataco to Zone Eight junction. When I was coming back, I saw two people who said they are going to back of zone eight. When I carried them inside back to zone eight, I saw security who stopped us insisting that they wanted to check the bags of my passengers.
“When they started checking it, they removed two long dresses. The officer insisted he wanted to know what was inside, that was how one of the passengers threw the bag. Both of them ran and left me on my bike.
“That was how the officer said me and the passengers that ran away have been robbing the environment. I don’t even know what was inside the bag. I am innocent. The axe and the gun are owned by the passengers who ran away. The officers are insisting I am the owner of the bag meanwhile, I am not” he narrated.
The other suspects paraded, Abdullahi Tukur, however, admitted committing the crime of impersonation as a military officer
Meanwhile, the legal officer, head of service Kogi State Barrister Abdul Abdulmumuni, while appreciating NSCDC and the present administration for their efforts in curbing crimes and criminalities in Kogi State lamented on prevalent cases of theft at the Kogi State secretariat.
“It has been happening over and over again. I think these people apprehended will serve as a deterrent to others as they will face the full wrath of the law” he added.
