Fake army officer arrested over theft of car in Lagos barracks

A 30-year-old man, Mohammed Jamiu, who claimed to be a lieutenant colonel attached to the 9 Brigade of the Nigerian Army (NA), Ikeja, Lagos, has been arrested by the police for allegedly stealing a Toyota Corolla.

The suspect was later discovered to be a fake officer who had never served in the military.

Lagos State Commissioner of Police (CP), Idowu Owohunwa, who confirmed the arrest, explained that on the agreed date, the suspect drove in a hired car into the barracks from where he put a call to the dealer to come with the car.

He further said, “The complainant who is a car dealer reported one Mohammed Jamiu, who allegedly stole a black coloured unregistered Toyota Corolla Saloon car which he posted on Jiji.

“The suspect, who claimed to be lieutenant colonel attached to 9 Brigade, Ikeja Cantonment, Lagos, went to hire an SUV for three hours. Thereafter, he called the complainant to come along with the vehicle.

“On getting to the barracks, the suspect requested to test-drive the car and disappeared with it; leaving both the driver of the hired SUV and the complainant in a state of confusion.

“Police operatives of the CP Special Squad I Team embarked on a painstaking tracking, where they later arrested the suspect in the Aja Estate area of Lagos and recovered a car with Reg No SHA 492 GQ.

“Investigation revealed that the suspect used the vehicle recovered from him to exchange the car he stole from the complainant. Investigation is ongoing to recover the stolen vehicle.”