Fake soldier nabbed in Lagos

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

Nyaku, 47, is also accused of parading himself as an army officer, wearing army camouflage uniform and unlawfully possessing a Nigeria Police identity card.

Police prosecutor Sgt. Godwin Awase, told the court that the accused committed the offences on April 14 at Anifowoshe, Ikeja, Lagos. He said the accused, despite not serving in the military, dressed in 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) vehicle 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 out from his car with a ‘koboko’ (a long flexible whip made of cow skin or horse tail) and driver.

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

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

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

“He said he saw the camouflage in a bale of clothes that 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. Both sections 380 and 382 stipulate seven years’ imprisonment each for offenders.

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

The case was adjourned until June 16, for mention. (NAN) started beating the