The men were extorting money from members of the public.

The Ogun State Police Command has arrested two men who posed as soldiers to extort money from members of the public.

The Ogun Police Command Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, who confirmed this on Thursday in Abeokuta explained that the anti-crime patrol team attached to Ifo Division of the command on Wednesday at about 3 p.m., arrested the suspects.

He gave the identities of the suspects as Audu Pius (32) and Emmanuel Ujah (36). He added that they were arrested at Ilepa Ifo in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State while parading themselves as soldiers and demanding for money from members of the public.

“The anti-crime patrol team attached to Ifo Division of the command on Wednesday 7th May at about 1500hrs arrested two “fake” soldiers who were extorting money from members of the public and engaging themselves in many social vices in Ogun state and all over the country,” Mr. Adejobi said.

He said items recovered from them include two fake identity cards in military camouflage purse, charity forms designed for the Nigerian army and some money realised from the dirty business.

“The command deems it necessary to sensitise the general public on the antics of unscrupulous elements like these who are fond of engaging themselves in dubious and criminal acts at the detriment of the innocent citizens of the country; and for the general public to be on the look-out for such individuals who impersonate security agents to dupe people in the state,” he said.

Mr. Adejobi added that the Commissioner of Police, Ikemefuna Okoye, had ordered the Department of Criminal Investigation, Eleweran, Abeokuta to embark on a thorough investigation of the matter in conjunction with the Nigerian Army and to apprehend the suspects’ accomplices who were said to be officers of the Nigerian Army.

“The command will not relent in its efforts to combat crimes and other social vices in the state and in Nigeria at large as officers and men of the command are on their toes to work towards proper service delivery,” he said.