The Nation Newspaper

Tag: impersonation

  • Dismissed policeman arraigned for alleged impersonation

    A dismissed policeman, 35-year-old Abdulmalik Makong, who allegedly impersonated a deputy superintendent, was yesterday arraigned at a Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court.

    Makong , who resides in Adamawa, is charged with impersonation.

    The accused pleaded not guilty.

    Police Prosecutor, Roman Unuigbe, an Assistant Superintendent (ASP) told the court the accused committed the offence on May 2 at Tolu Divisional Police Headquarters, Apapa, Lagos.

    He alleged the accused, who had been dismissed for over four years, was parading himself as a DSP.

    “While trying to stop the arrest of some sex workers, he introduced himself to the divisional police officer as a DSP attached to the Force Headquarters, Abuja.

    “When he was searched, a police warrant card, bearing the rank of assistant superintendent with two stars was found on him.”

    Unuigbe said further questioning showed the accused attended the Police Academy, but was dismissed for smoking hemp.

    The offence contravened Section 77 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

  • 40 held for pipeline vandalism, cultism, impersonation

    Forty persons have been arrested for pipeline vandalism, cultism and impersonation, General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division Maj. Gen. Enobong Udoh said yesterday.

    They were arrested by a combined team of soldiers, Department of State Service (DSS), police task force, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC) officials.

    Parading the suspects at the 174 Battalion, Odogunyan in Ikorodu, Lagos, Udoh said 12 of them were arrested early Wednesday in Magboro, Ogun State, during a patrol by the anti-illegal bunkering and anti-pipeline vandalism team.

    The suspects, he said, were scooping petrol from a vandalised pipeline when they sighted the patrolling security team. The suspects allegedly shot sporadically to escape from the scene.

    Udoh said: “On sighting the troops, the armed vandals fired sporadically before abandoning their vehicles loaded with the refined petroleum products and some empty jerry cans. They fled to avoid being arrested. Notwithstanding, the troops arrested 12 of the vandals during a cordon-and-search operation conducted around the vicinity.”

    The GOC said 8,300 litres of PMS (patrol) and 24 vehicles, including three trucks, nine buses, eight space wagon cars, one Hilux van, three saloon cars and four motorcycles were recovered from the suspects.

    According to him, five persons were arrested with 19,600 litres of petrol in a similar operation by troops at a Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) pipeline in Akute.

    Udoh said the 12 suspected impostors among them were picked up at some locations in Lagos and Ogun states. The suspects, he said, were in military uniform.

    Eleven, he said, were arrested for cultism in Ibeshe and Odokekere areas of Ikorodu, Lagos.

    Four of the suspected cultists, the GOC said, had been on the wanted list after their escape during a raid carried out last month by Operation Cordon-and-Search in Ejirin Depression area.

    Udoh said the suspects were undergoing preliminary investigations after which they would be handed over to the appropriate security agencies. He praised Lagos and Ogun residents for giving out information on the activities of the suspects.

    He said: “Special operations set up by the Nigerian Army will not relent until our communities are ridding of all forms of cultism, vandalism and other violent criminal activities and their perpetrators. I enjoin members of the public to continue to reach out to our men to give useful information that will assist us in ridding vulnerable areas of the activities of criminal elements.”

  • Nigerien, others paraded for impersonation, illegal possession of firearms

    The Police in Sokoto State has confirmed the arrest of a Nigerien, Idi Abdullahi, for parading himself as a military personnel.

    Abdullahi was intercepted by a crack team of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). He was found in possession of a pistol and pump action with 7 rounds of live ammunition and 76 rounds of cartridges respectively.

    Other items recovered from the suspect include an axe, two mobile phones and six SIM cards.

    The spokesman, Cordelia Nwawe, who paraded the suspect, said Abdullahi claimed to be in Sokoto for hunting, but investigation showed that such arms were not used for hunting.

    She said: “He is not for hunting, and we found him with a Kasea motorcycle, Army camouflage uniform and an international passport.

    “He claimed to have license and permission of his country to bear the arms.”

    Abdullahi said Ibrahim, a policeman in Niger Republic, bought the arms for him and obtained the license through Sule of Niamey, Niger Republic.

    The spokesman also announced the arrest of Aminu Abubakar, a.k.a Sheshe Baba, for impersonation and turning his home to a mini- police station. Sheshe, according to Nwawe was arrested on March 12. He had been on the run before now.

    She said: “We found the suspect with a police uniform which he uses to extort money from the public. Our investigation showed that he was dismissed, but now uses his uniform to carry out his activities.

    “A police shirt, sweater and a t-shirt were recovered from his home.”

    Umar Muhammad Mabera was also nabbed for impersonating Senator Abdullahi Danbaba Damboa’s aide and collecting money from parents, saying the Senator was offering 50 per cent scholarship to students.

    He works with Illela Local Government Area.

    “He has been to three schools telling students to tell their parents, who in turn gave money. He has been to Success Academy, Global Kids and Blue Crescent schools, where he issued tellers as receipt to his victims.

    “The parents reported to the police and we swung into action, leading to his arrest.

    “All suspects would be charged to court after investigations,” she added.

  • Arewa youths accuse Melaye of impersonation

    Arewa youths accuse Melaye of impersonation

    Leadership of the Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA) has accused Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West) of impersonating the group and using it for criminal activity.

    The group said it has summoned an emergency meeting of its executives to consider a legal action against the Senator.

    According to AYA, a photo banner, apparently working against constituted authority, was posted on Melaye’s Facebook wall, using AYA’s name.

    A statement by the speaker, Muhammed Salihu, said: “The photo banner, which read “Malami Shame on you”; “GYB Big Shame on You”, which was allegedly sponsored by the Arewa Youth Assembly.

    “We never supported any act of criminality, most especially from whom the younger generation of the North view as being disrespectful to constituted authorities.

    “Senator Dino Malaye has continued to make mockery of our respected Upper Chamber of the National Assembly. While we view this as a deliberate attempt to drag our organisation into unnecessary blind support, insult respectable members of the Federal Executive Council and a governor, we wish to distance ourselves and our organisation, the Arewa Youth Assembly, from this criminal act of impersonation.

    “It is very shameful for a Senator to resolve to hiring thugs for promoting and inculcating unethical behaviours in youths who are supposed to learn from him. Respect for elders and authorities is a pride to an Arewa Youth.

    “This act of criminality and disrespect is an abuse on the collective interest of the Arewa Youths. We condemn this in all ramifications.

    “We, therefore, urge the public to disregard the banner and pray that God will erase such elements from the seat of power in 2019.”

    Salihu added: “The Arewa Youth Assembly leadership has called for an emergency executive meeting to address the issue and possibly institute a legal action on both the impostors and the propagator of the information.”

  • DPR slams CDHR for alleged impersonation

    DPR slams CDHR for alleged impersonation

    The Zonal Office of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) in Warri has alerted the public to the ‘illegal activities’ of unauthorised organisations and individuals, going round fuel stations in Warri to execute its functions.

    DPR’s Zonal Operations Controller in Warri Antai Asuquo spoke while reacting to a reported ‘enforcement operation’ carried out on Monday by the Delta State Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) in Warri.

    CDHR, led by its state Chairman, Kehinde Taiga, reportedly picketed petrol stations on Okumagba Avenue, Warri, on Monday, to prevent them from selling above the approved pump price of N145.

    But Antai described CDHR’s action as illegal.

    He vowed to file a complaint to appropriate authorities, saying DPR officials were on the field to ensure that marketers complied with the approved pump price.

    “We did not authorise CDHR to conduct surveillance on our behalf. Our officers are always on the field to enforce compliance to the government approved pump price of N145 per litre. The public should note that the committee was on an illegal operation, we did not send them, neither did they act on our behalf, and we will report the matter to the appropriate authority.

    “As I promised, we will ensure there is compliance to the approved pump price. We deploy two monitoring teams every working day in the field to ensure we cover local governments.

    “We will visit petrol stations to make sure they dispense at the approved pump price of N145 per litre,” Antai said.

    He said the agency had sealed off over 150 erring fuel stations since the scarcity resurfaced last month, adding that it would enforce compliance.

    Taiga said the committee embarked on the exercise because “DPR has failed in its responsibility.

    “We call it ‘Operation sell at N145 or quit business’. We visited three petrol stations, dispensed fuel for over an hour in each of the stations to people at N145. Some even at no cost to persons.”

  • Court remands suspect for impersonation 

    An Osogbo Chief Magistrates’ Court in Osun State has remanded a 53-year-old man, Tajudeen Bamigbola, in Ilesa Prison for alleged impersonation to secure freedom of a monarch on trial.

    The Magistrate, Mrs. Olubukola Awodele, ordered the remand of the man after he pleaded guilty to the two-count charge of impersonation and false testimony.

    Awodele described the offences as grievous and ordered that the convict remains behind bars until September 25 for sentencing.

    The prosecutor, Joshua Oladoye, told the court that the accused committed the offences on September 5, about 10 am., on the premises of Osogbo Chief Magistrates’ Court 2.

    He alleged that the accused falsely presented himself as Bamigbola Azeez (deceased), to secure the freedom of Oba Akadiri Okanola and four others on trial in a land dispute.

    Oladoye said the accused intentionally committed the offences by giving false testimony to secure the freedom of Oba Okanola.

    He said the offences contravened sections 117 and 484 of Criminal Code Cap 34, Vol. 11, Laws of Osun State, 2003.

    Counsel to the accused, Mr. Abimbola Ige, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing the convict.

  • Man, 35, docked over alleged impersonation in Osun

    A 35-year-old man, Suleiman Sadiq, was on Monday brought before an Osogbo Chief Magistrates’ Court in Osun over alleged impersonation. Sadiq is facing a two- count charge bordering on impersonation.

    The Prosecutor, Mr Onochie Ekwon, told the court that the accused committed the offence on May, 16, at about 10:00 a.m. at No. 42, Omigade St., Ogo-Oluwa area of Osogbo.

    Ekwon alleged that the accused presented himself as an official of the State Security Service Department with intent to defraud unsuspecting persons.

    He said the offence contravened Sections 484 and 108(1)(2) of the Criminal Code Cap. 34, Vol.11, Laws of Osun, 2002.

    The accused, who had no legal representation, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    The Magistrate, Mrs Olu Oloyade, however, granted the accused bail in the sum of N500, 000 and two sureties in like sum.

    Oloyade said the sureties, who must reside within the court’s jurisdiction, should show evidence of tax payment to the Osun government.

    She adjourned the case to October 5 for hearing.

  • Lawyer jailed nine years for impersonation

    Lawyer jailed nine years for impersonation

    The wife of a fake lawyer,  Olayinka Soyinka, wept profusely as an Ikorodu magistrate court sitting in Ijede  sentenced her husband, Olayinka, to nine years, six months imprisonment for impersonation.

    Soyinka (34) was arraigned on a five count charge bordering on falsely presenting himself as a lawyer, stealing and forging of court documents before Magistrate R.O. Davies by the Police prosecutors, Aminu Isaac and Etim Ufoh Ikechukwu on February 16.

    The matter was later taken over by a prosecuting team of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikorodu Branch led by Prince Adetayo Ladega. Others are Mr Nurudeen Ogbara, Dapo Akodu, Mr Temitayo Sammy, Mrs Odunola Jegede, Mrs M.I. Akanbi Salisu, Mr Ezekiel Ogbaide and Prince O.S.A. Aranmolaran.

    The convict had in the course of trial changed his not guilty plea to guilty consequent upon which Magistrate Davies pronounced a total of nine and half years imprisonment on him.

    Magistrate Davies sentenced the convict to six months imprisonment on the first count and three years each on counts 3, 4 and 5.

    The convict would, however, spend three years in prison as the magistrate said the sentences would run concurrently.

    Earlier, in his allocutus, Soyinka, through his lawyers, Shakiru Omolaja and Opeyemi Omoboye, had pleaded for mercy of the court, stressing that the convict has repented as evident in his plea and that since he is still young, first offender who can still  be useful to the society.

    But the trial magistrate said it would be unfair to sacrifice justice on the altar of sympathy emphasising that the matter would be decided on facts, issues and evidence before the court.

    He held that it would be wrong to allow sympathy to becloud the essence of justice, truth and fairness.

    Magistrates Davies pointed out that the convict by “his statement before the court is a graduate and should know the consequences of his offence. So, this is a self inflicted injury”.

    Lead prosecuting team of NBA Ikorodu branch, Prince Ladega thanked the court and promised that the bar would take step to preserve the legal profession as directed by the court.

    Olajide was arrested February 14 while plying his trade with an unsuspecting client, Nwokeyi Lukman and subsequently arraigned two days after.

    In the charge read before the court on arraignment, Police prosecutor, Inspector Etrimudor Ikechukwu who stood in for Inspector Isaac Aminu, alleged that the defendant obtained the sum of N550,000.00 from Nwokeyi Lukman with intent to procure court dissolution of marriage document which he knew was false.

    He was alleged to have forged a document of marriage dissolution from high court of Lagos State in suit number LD/193HD/2015 and falsely presented himself as a lawyer with intent to defraud his victim.

    The offences committed were said to be contrary to and punishable under sections 285, 312, 363(1), 378(1) and 401of the Criminal Laws of Lagos state 2011.

  • Man held for alleged impersonation of revenue officials

    Man held for alleged impersonation of revenue officials

    Rapid Response Squad (RRS) operatives have arrested a 37-year-old man, Olaitan Shofolahan, for allegedly impersonating Lagos State Land Use Charge officials.

    Shofolahan, according to RRS, cited unemployment for his action.

    The Accounting graduate of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, was arrested last Thursday in Lekki Phase 1, in Eti–Osa Local Government Area of the state while allegedly attempting to defraud an estate resident of millions of naira in Land Use Charge dues.

    The suspect, who was working in his brother’s audit firm in Sabo, Yaba, Lagos Mainland, before leaving in search of greener pasture, told RRS that he could not get a job in Lagos State Civil Service because there were no vacancies.

    He was quoted as saying: “I was working with my brother in his audit firm in Sabo, Yaba, earning N45,000 monthly before I left the firm in search of employment. I was at Lagos State Civil Service Commission several times to seek employment. It was during one of my visits that I learnt that payment for Land Use Charge in the state is through a code. The code is engraved on every metal sticker issued to every house.

    “It is with this code that you get an annual bill of the house and that you can get your charges printed out with the bills. That was how I started moving round choice locations to get their codes and print their bills.Any house that does not owe, I discard but those with huge bills, I work on them. But I noticed that some of them requested for my identity card. I forged a Lagos State Government identity card using a sample that I saw somewhere in Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja.

    “I have been in the business since February, 2015. I have observed that owners of buildings in Lekki have capacity to settle their bills quickly, that was why I have focused there. Unfortunately for me, it was in this location that I was caught. I entered the building in Lekki Phase 1 unknown to me that the officials of the Lagos State Land Use Charge were there with the house owner. I saw the owner discussing with them but I didn’t know their identity. The owner of the building after sitting me down invited RRS officials to arrest me.

    “Since I have been impersonating, I have only realised N30,000 which I collected from an home owner in Alausa while pretending to be an official of the state. I have not collected any other money apart from that. Each and every time I visited these buildings, they ask me to come back later”.

    RRS said it found five land use bills with charges above N1 million and a forged Lagos State Government identity card on the suspect.

    Police spokesperson Olarinde Famous Cole, an Assistant Superintendent (ASP), said the suspect, has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Yaba.

  • Impersonation: Police arraign fake female lawyer in Zaria

    Impersonation: Police arraign fake female lawyer in Zaria

    The police on Tuesday arraigned a female accused, Fatima Ibrahim, at a Chediya Magistrates’ Court in Zaria, Kaduna State, for impersonation.

    The Prosecutor, Sgt. Abubakar Ibrahim, said the police had on Oct. 17 received a petition bordering on impersonation from Augustine Agum, Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Zaria branch on behalf of the association.

    Ibrahim said that the accused had been parading herself as a lawyer having not been trained and qualified as one.

    He told the court that in the course of police investigation, the accused neither affirmed nor denied the allegation against her.

    The prosecutor said the offence contravened Section 179 Penal Code.

    Fatima confessed committing the offence and said that circumstance made her do so.

    The accused immediately retracted her guilty plea shortly after the prosecutor applied for her summary trial under Section 157 of Criminal Procedure Code (CPC).

    The accused counsel, Abdurrasaq Ahmed, thereafter applied for her bail, arguing that the alleged offence was bailable.

    The Chief Magistrate, Auwal Musa, granted bail to the accused in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in the like sum.

    Musa said that the sureties must present bank account statements, letter   from a traditional ruler, authentic residential address and telephone number.

    “It is not an easy case because it tempers with the reputation and credibility of members of the bar profession, therefore, we are all affected,” he said, and adjoined the case till Nov. 15 for hearing.