By Evelyn Usman & Olasunkanmi Akoni

LAGOS—A 27-year-old  man, Oluwayelu Adeboye, has been arrested by the Lagos State Task Force, for allegedly posing as a 2nd Lieutenant of the Nigerian Army.

The Head of Public Affairs Unit of the task force, Mr. Adebayo Taofiq, confirmed the arrest yesterday.

Taofiq said the suspect had been deceiving members of the public and security agents by presenting himself as a military officer, adding that the suspect was arrested when he attempted to release a vehicle impounded by the task force over traffic obstruction.

He said: “The suspect followed the owner of the impounded vehicle to the task force office to see the Chairman, SP Olayinka Egbeyemi.

“The suspect introduced himself as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Nigerian Army come to secure the release of the vehicle. After interrogation, the chairman discovered that he was a fake.

“The chairman immediately ordered his arrest. He confessed that he was rusticated from the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, in 2014, for impersonation.”

Taofiq further said that the suspect had been a habitual impostor, including posing as son of a general in the Army.

According to Taofiq, “he claimed he has been posing as an officer of Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy and Nigerian Police Force to secure the release of anyone arrested at different Police Stations across Lagos.

“After the release of impounded vehicles, he would collect a fee of N15,000 or more from the owner of the vehicle. He also claimed to have been short-listed for recruitment into the Nigeria Police.”

He said the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, has directed that the suspect be charged to court.