By Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin
Five fake soldiers have been arrested by Edo State Police Command.
The names of the suspects were given as Ehiorobo Evans (28), Osariemen Agho (25) Solomon Hussaini (28) Idoro Solomon and Ezeyi Kelechi.
Chidi Nwabuzor, Police Public Relations Officer in a statement, on Monday in Benin, said that the suspects assembled in an area and were clad in army camouflage uniforms.
He said that men of the Police force who acted on a tip-off, stormed the scene and nabbed the suspects.
“The operatives of Anti-Cultism Unit acting on a tip-off along PZ road, off Sapele road, Benin City, that five young men namely: Idoro Solomon, Ehiorobo Evans, Osariemen Agho, Solomon Hussaini and Ezeyi Kelechi were seen gathering in the area, dressed in Army camouflage uniforms, mobilised to the scene and arrested five of the suspects who confessed being fake Army officers.
“They also confessed to have been terrorising the area. Items recovered from them are: Army camouflage uniforms and Jack knives”, part of the statement reads.
But, one of the accused, Evans Ehiorobo said he served four months in the Nigerian Army but has been on AWOL for eight months.
According to him, “I am a soldier from 2 division, ordinance unit, Nigerian Army. Yesterday, I came to visit my friend; I knew him from Zaria. And there is one of my course mates upstairs playing game and I joined him before the police came to arrest us.
“I was on mufti, It was my phone that they found my picture that I am soldier too and that is how I was arrested.
I am still serving as soldier but I have on AWOL for eight months now and I didn’t return.
“They have not been paying for a while. I served four months in the army. I have been arrested twice; the first one was robbery.
Chidi further disclosed that men of the police force foiled a robbery incident that occured in the early hours of Tuesday along the Benin-Lagos expressway.
He added that one of the armed robbers was killed, one arrested with gun injury while another escaped with bullet wound.
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