The Lagos State Police Command has intercepted a truck loaded with 47 sacks of military camouflage uniforms and 80 cartons of suspected illicit drugs in a major intelligence-led operation in Surulere, Lagos.
Three suspects, Chinedu David, 29; Ezeagwu Chukwuma, 38; and Ifeanyi Ogbeanyi, 45 were arrested in connection with the seizure.
Addressing journalists at the command headquarters in Ikeja on Tuesday, the Commissioner of Police, Fatai Tijani, said operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit intercepted the suspects on Saturday night while they were transporting the items in an unregistered MAN diesel truck.
“Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command attached to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, acting on intelligence-led operations, recorded a major breakthrough with the arrest of three suspects,” Tijani said.
“The operation further led to the recovery of one unregistered MAN diesel truck loaded with 47 sacks containing military camouflage uniforms and 80 cartons of drugs suspected to be illicit substances.”
Preliminary investigations indicate that the consignment of military uniforms was allegedly being transported to the South-East.
The police commissioner said investigations were ongoing to determine the source and intended recipients of the items, as well as uncover other individuals linked to the operation.
“It does not pose any immediate threat to Lagos State because the items were being moved out of the state.
However, considering the trend where bandits and other criminal elements wear military uniforms, nobody can tell what the intention was,” he added.
A police source involved in the investigation disclosed that the truck driver and his assistant were first arrested before two other suspects later arrived at a police station in Surulere to claim the exhibits, leading to their arrest.
The latest seizure comes amid growing concerns over the proliferation of military-grade uniforms in the hands of criminal elements across Nigeria.
