Bayelsa Police Arrest Two for Impersonating Military Officers

The Bayelsa State Police Command has arrested two individuals in Yenagoa for allegedly impersonating military personnel, in separate incidents that involved fraud and assault.

The State Commissioner of Police, Iyamah Edebor, said operatives from the Ekeki Division apprehended 25-year-old Kelechi Lazarus, who posed as a Corporal in the Nigerian Army. Lazarus reportedly attempted to defraud a Point of Sale operator of N200,000 by showing a fake bank alert as proof of payment. When the operator insisted on verifying the transaction at her bank, Lazarus persuaded her to accompany him to his supposed military base. The victim became suspicious, declined, and was assaulted by the suspect, sustaining bodily injuries.

Police investigations revealed that Lazarus had defrauded multiple individuals in different states using the same method. A verification by the Military Police confirmed that he was a dismissed soldier from the 82 Division, Enugu, in 2024. Illicit substances were also recovered from him, and the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation and prosecution.

In a related incident, the command also arrested 25-year-old Isah Aliyu Umar for allegedly impersonating a Nigerian Navy Lieutenant. Authorities recovered falsified documents and other evidence from Umar, confirming the suspected impersonation. Both arrests underscore the police’s ongoing efforts to crack down on fraud and protect citizens from criminal schemes involving fake military identities.

The Commissioner assured residents that the police would continue patrolling, monitoring suspicious activities, and collaborating with military authorities to prevent similar incidents.

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