The 3 Amoured Division of the Nigerian Army, Rukuba Maxwell Khobe Cantonment in Jos, the Plateau State capital, has paraded two fake soldiers who specialized in impersonating army generals to dupe government agencies and parastatals.
LEADERSHIP gathered that the suspects, identified as Aliyu Haussaini Bre and Ibrahim Mohammed, were paraded at the headquarters of the division by the division’s army public relations officer and the commander, Provost Group, Col. Texas Chukwu and Col. Arnold Okoro, respectively on behalf of the GOC, Major General John Zaruma.
According to Chukwu, the suspects were arrested on September 17, 2014, in Bauchi State, after a tip-off, adding that while Aliyu, a 46-year-old Fulani man from Adamawa State posed as brigadier-general, Ibrahim, 40, and a Kanuri by tribe served as his assistant.
Chukwu said that a search conducted at Aliyu’s house in Kaduna led to the recovery of Nigerian Army uniforms and various ranks and a 406 saloon car.
He said the suspects confessed that the reason for their impersonating as military officers was to give them easy access to the corridors of power and help them secure contracts.
Chukwu further disclosed that, upon interrogation, the suspects who have been in the business since 2006, listed the contracts they had so far executed through impersonation to include construction and renovation of Adamawa State University’s clinic in 2010 at a cost of N2.45m, rehabilitation and overhaul of 250KVA MARAPO generator and two units of 160 KVA CUMINGS for Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) in Abuja in 2011 at the cost of N2.2m as well as supply of Mili beverage for the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) also in Abuja in 2012 at the cost of N1.8m
Col. Arnold Okoro, who corroborated Chukwu’s account, warned the general public to be vigilant, adding that the suspects would be handed over to the police for prosecution to serve as a deterrent to others.
LEADERSHIP gathered that the suspects, identified as Aliyu Haussaini Bre and Ibrahim Mohammed, were paraded at the headquarters of the division by the division’s army public relations officer and the commander, Provost Group, Col. Texas Chukwu and Col. Arnold Okoro, respectively on behalf of the GOC, Major General John Zaruma.
According to Chukwu, the suspects were arrested on September 17, 2014, in Bauchi State, after a tip-off, adding that while Aliyu, a 46-year-old Fulani man from Adamawa State posed as brigadier-general, Ibrahim, 40, and a Kanuri by tribe served as his assistant.
Chukwu said that a search conducted at Aliyu’s house in Kaduna led to the recovery of Nigerian Army uniforms and various ranks and a 406 saloon car.
He said the suspects confessed that the reason for their impersonating as military officers was to give them easy access to the corridors of power and help them secure contracts.
Chukwu further disclosed that, upon interrogation, the suspects who have been in the business since 2006, listed the contracts they had so far executed through impersonation to include construction and renovation of Adamawa State University’s clinic in 2010 at a cost of N2.45m, rehabilitation and overhaul of 250KVA MARAPO generator and two units of 160 KVA CUMINGS for Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) in Abuja in 2011 at the cost of N2.2m as well as supply of Mili beverage for the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) also in Abuja in 2012 at the cost of N1.8m
Col. Arnold Okoro, who corroborated Chukwu’s account, warned the general public to be vigilant, adding that the suspects would be handed over to the police for prosecution to serve as a deterrent to others.
No comments:
Post a Comment