By Evelyn Usman, Peter Ofili & Amaka Uche

LAGOS—Operatives of the X-Squad Department of the Zone 2 Command, Onikan, Lagos, have arrested two dismissed policemen, who extort money from commercial bus drivers, posing to be serving policemen, and three suspected members of a syndicate that posed as officials of the Lagos and Ogun state’s governments to collect revenue from motorists.

Joseph Okoya, 46, and Yohanna Bitrus, 35, were arrested at Abule-Ado and Trade Fair bus stops along the Mile 2-Badagry Expressway, Lagos.

Vanguard gathered that while Okoya was arrested in police vest, driving a commercial bus, Yohana was clad in full Mobile Police uniform and performing illegal duties.

He was alleged to be extorting commercial bus drivers and harassing any bus driver that refused to give him money.

Confirming the arrest, the Zonal Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, said: “Based on the directive of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in Zone 2,the X-Squad operatives led by SP Akinyide Alabi, who were on routine patrol within Lagos State, arrested one Joseph Okoya, along Badagry Expressway, while driving a commercial bus with number plates XC 755 LSR, who was in police uniform on Saturday.

“He has confessed to have been dismissed from the force since 2010.

“Also, the same team arrested one Yohana Bitrus on Sunday, at the Trade Fair Complex, Lagos. He was putting on complete Mobile Police Uniform, while performing illegal police duties.

“Police investigation so far reveals that he was also dismissed in 2015 for disciplinary offences.”

Recovered items

Items recovered from the suspects, according to Adejobi, included police uniforms, “police ID cards, piles of petitions and statement forms, letter heads and some other incriminating documents.”

Adejobi said the suspects, who have confessed to using police uniform to perpetrate many illegal acts, will be charged to Igbosere Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, for impersonation and unlawful possession of police paraphernalia.

Fake revenue collectors

In a related case, the trio of Ajala Kabiru, Olasunkanmi Popoola and Kazeem Hassan, were arrested for allegedly posing as officials of the Lagos and Ogun state governments to extort illegal revenue from motorists plying the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

They would flag down motorists and request for a particular document purportedly from the states’ ministry of transport. Failure to produce the said document would amount to being fined N5,000 and above.

Some victims alleged that their vehicle’s tyres were punctured with sharp objects, which the impostors usually placed on the road. At other times, their victims would be beaten and threatened to be taken to their office.

Their arrest, according to the spokesperson for the Zone 2 Command, SP Muyiwa Adejobi, followed several complaints by victims.