The Bayelsa State Police Command has arrested two men
for allegedly impersonating military officers in separate incidents in Yenagoa.
DSP Musa Mohammed, the command’s spokesperson,
disclosed the arrests in a statement on Friday, February 20, 2026.
In the first case, operatives attached to the Ekeki
Division arrested 25-year-old Kelechi Lazarus, who was dressed in military
camouflage and claimed the rank of Corporal. Lazarus allegedly attempted to
defraud a Point of Sale (POS) operator of N200,000 by showing a fake bank
credit alert on his phone. When the victim refused to follow him to his alleged
base at 16 Brigade due to suspicion, the suspect reportedly assaulted her,
causing bodily injuries.
A search of Lazarus revealed illicit substances, and
further investigation showed he had allegedly defrauded multiple people in
other states using similar tactics. The Commissioner of Police confirmed with
the Military Police of 16 Brigade that Lazarus had been dismissed from the 82
Division, Enugu, in 2024. The case has been transferred to the State Criminal
Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation before he will be
charged to court.
In a related case, 25-year-old Isah Aliyu Umar, a
native of Bauchi State residing in Kaduna, was arrested by troops of 16 Brigade
at the 16 Brigade Mosque premises. Umar reportedly paraded himself as a
Lieutenant in the Nigerian Navy across multiple states. Authorities recovered
falsified documents, a Navy name tag, multiple SIM cards, passport photos, Navy
and camouflage uniforms, fake identity and management certificates, and a
fraudulent report claiming ownership of seven million dollars. Umar is currently
under investigation at SCID Yenagoa and will face charges upon completion of
the probe.
The Bayelsa State Police Command advised the public to
remain cautious of individuals impersonating security personnel and encouraged
anyone with information on similar activities to report to the nearest police
station.
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