The Lagos State Police Command intercepted 47 sacks of military camouflage uniforms and 80 cartons of suspected illicit drugs during a massive intelligence-led operation in the state’s Surulere district.
Fatai Tijani, the state commissioner of police, told journalists at the command headquarters in Ikeja on Tuesday that three individuals had been arrested in connection to the recovery.
He said the suspects, Chinedu David, 29, Ezeagwu Chukwuma, 38, and Ifeanyi Ogbeanyi, 45, were apprehended by agents from the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit on Saturday night.
He stated that agents apprehended the suspects in an unregistered MAN diesel truck, which was carrying military camouflage clothes and cartons of suspected illegal drugs.
He said, “Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command attached to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, acting on intelligence-led operations, recorded a breakthrough with the arrest of three suspects identified as Chinedu David ‘m,’ aged 29 years; Ezeagwu Chukwuma ‘m,’ aged 38 years; and Ifeanyi Ogbeanyi ‘m,’ aged 45 years.
“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.”
The CP stated that preliminary investigations indicate the vehicle was transporting military outfits to the southeast. Investigations are ongoing to discover the source of the uniforms and drugs.
He said, “Investigation is ongoing to determine the source, ownership, and intended recipients of the recovered items, as well as establish the extent of the suspects’ involvement and identify other persons connected with the criminal act.”
Shedding more light on the recovery, the commissioner allayed fears that the development posed an immediate threat to residents of the state, noting that the consignment was being moved out of Lagos.
“It does not pose any form of threat to Lagos State. They were moving out of the state, but you know, with the trend of events in the country where we have seen bandits wear military uniforms, who knows what they want to do with this? Nobody could tell,” he disclosed.
A police officer involved in the investigation, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told the press that the truck driver and his assistant were initially arrested before two other suspects linked to the consignment were identified.
“We initially arrested the truck driver and the assistant. We later arrested two other suspects who visited our police station in Surulere to claim the exhibits,” the officer said.
The recovery comes as concerns increase about the widespread use of military-grade uniforms by criminal organizations across the country.
