The Nasarawa State Police command said the officers of the Nigerian Army have arrested a fake soldier in the Awe Local Government Area (LGA) of the state and handed him over to the command for interrogation.
In statement made in Lafia, the state capital, on Thursday, by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superitendent Ramhan Nansel said the suspected criminal was arrested following painstaking efforts by officers of the command.
“On the 6/1/2024 at about 1739hrs, one Muhammed Haladu ‘M’ of behind Ozas Hotel, Karu Abuja was arrested on full military camouflage at Awe LGA by two soldiers who came home on pass and handed him over to the Police at Awe Division.
“The suspect claimed to be a soldier attached to 231 Battalion Biu, Borno State, but investigation proved otherwise. The criminal defrauded unsuspecting members of the public under the pretext of securing employment in the Nigerian Army.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect attempted to join the military but couldn’t, thus, went to military barracks to purchase the uniform he is using for his nefarious activities”, the statement added.
He also said the operatives arrested a notorious armed robbery suspect identified as Kabiru Yusuf, who had been disturbing the peace of residents of the state.
He said: “On 10/01/2024 at about 1130hrs, acting based on credible information, operatives of the Command’s Anti robbery team on intelligence-led Patrol along Fadaman Bauna intercepted a group of three young men suspected to be armed robbers riding on an unregistered Bajaj Motorcycle.
“The hoodlums abandoned the motorcycle and took to flight on sighting the Policemen, but were given a hot chase.
“Consequently, one Kabiru Alhaji Yusuf was arrested while two others escaped. A search was conducted on him where one AK 47 riffle and a motorcycle were recovered as an exhibit.”
The statement further indicated that the Commissioner of Police, CP Umar Shehu Nadada, commended the officers for a job well done and tasked them not to relent in the fight against criminals across 13 LGAs of the state.