Fake Official Arrested For Recruiting New Police Officers In Lagos

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

A fake police officer, Solomon Igbughu has been arrested and charged before a Lagos court for allegedly obtaining money and recruiting new police officers under the bridge in Lagos.

P.M.EXPRESS gathered that Igbuhu was using the Ikeja under bridge as his office where he contacted and obtained money from victims under the false pretence of enrolling those victims into the Nigerian police.
Some of the victims narrated that the 33-year old Igbuhu claimed that he was a police officer attached to Area G Ogba and had contact with the police high authorities in Abuja to bring new intakes for recruitment.

He was said to have obtained from many victims worth undisclosed amount of money before he eventually ran out of luck and was arrested. P.M.EXPRESS learnt that his predicament started when he invited and collected N120, 000 and N80, 000 from Erade Aondonkan and Num Isaac  respectively under the bridge with the promise of recruiting them into the police.

Our correspondent tried to find out how he was able to convince the victims that he was genuine, and he was said to be dropping the names of senior police officers even showing their  phone numbers. He was said to have also shown them photographs he took with some of the senior officers to convince the victims.

However, the whole arrangement turned out to be scam as he was unable to fulfill his own part of the bargain. He reportedly obtained the money, escaped and disconnected himself from  the victims. The scam was then reported to the police at Ikeja Division and Igbughu was trailed, eventually arrested and taken to the station.

P.M.EXPRESS gathered at the station, he confessed that he was not a police officer attached to Area G and he had no contact with the police. When he was asked to refund the money, he said he had used it to solve his other personal problems.

He was charged before Ikeja Magistrates Court for impersonation, obtaining under false pretence and stealing under the Criminal Code. He pleaded not guilty. The presiding Magistrate, Mrs O.A. Layinlka granted him bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum. He was remanded in prison custody pending when he will perfect his bail condition and the matter was adjourned till 3rd of October, 2017.