Nigerian Army: Fake soldier nabbed in Lagos

A panel beater, Victor Nyaku, was on Thursday arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, for impersonation and assault.

Nyaku, 47, is also accused of parading himself as an Army officer, wearing Army camouflaged uniform and unlawfully possessing a Nigerian Police identity card.

The Police Prosecutor, Sgt. Godwin Awase, told the court that the accused committed the offences on April 14 at Anifowoshe, Ikeja, Lagos.

He said that the accused, despite not serving in the military, dressed in an army uniform and paraded himself to be an army officer.

“The accused was driving his Toyota Camry and he blocked a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) ordering the driver to reverse for him to pass.

“When the driver of the bus could not reverse for him because the bus is long, the accused came down from his car with a Koboko (a long flexible whip made of cow skin or horse tail) and started beating the driver.

“Unfortunately for him, the Police got to the scene and in the process of settling the dispute, demanded for the accused identity card.

“The accused, who was in army camouflage presented a police sergeant ID card carrying another person’s name.”

Awase said that when it was discovered that the accused was fake, he confessed.

“He said that he saw the camouflage in a bale of clothes he bought from Cotonou and that the ID card was given to him by someone in Ikeja. He was later taken to the station,” the prosecutor said.

The offences contravened Sections 171, 380 and 382 of the revised Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

Nyaku, who resides at Abule-Egba, Lagos, however, pleaded not guilty and was admitted to a bail of N100, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

The Magistrate, Mrs F.F George, ordered that the sureties should be gainfully employed and show evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

The case was adjourned until June 16, for mention.

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