Troops arrest fake soldier, 21 other suspected criminals in Jos

By POLYCARP AUTA

The Special Task Force, Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), maintaining peace in Plateau has arrested one James Dogo, for falsely parading himself as a military personnel.

Dogo was arrested alongside one Dotun Shomoye, who specialises in printing identity cards for fake security personnel.

Other 20 suspected criminals, who are between the ages of 20 and 25, were arrested for armed robbery, drug abuse, snatching of phones, and other criminal activities.

The Commander of the task force, Maj.-Gen. Chukwuemeka Okonkwo, on Sunday in Jos, said the suspects were arrested in different locations within Jos metropolis.

Okonkwo said that the raid was aimed at ensuring sanity and ending petty crimes as well as other criminal activities within Jos and environs.

“In our efforts to weed out bad elements across our area of joint operation, we have arrested some criminal elements terrorising the peace loving people of Jos and environs.

“Among them is a fake soldier and printer who produces identity cards for fake security personnel.

“Similarly, 20 other suspected criminals were arrested as part of our operation, launched to bring sanity to Jos metropolis,” he said

The commander, who said over 60 suspects were arrested in the past days, added that they would be handed over to the Police for prosecution.

Okonkwo assured Jos and Plateau residents in general of his commitment to ridding the area of criminal elements and ending all forms of insecurity in the state.

He, however, urged members of the public to report suspicious movements and criminal activities around their vicinities to security agencies for prompt action.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that items recovered from the suspects include: Indian hemps, machetes and swords and various types of dagger and knives.

Items recovered from the printer of fake identity cards include: two Dell desk top computers, three CPU, two Canon printers, among others. (NAN)