The Lagos State Police Command has arrested three suspects and recovered 47 sacks containing military camouflage uniforms alongside 80 cartons of substances suspected to be illicit drugs during an intelligence-led operation in the Surulere area of the state.
Commissioner of Police, Fatai Tijani, disclosed this on Tuesday while briefing journalists at the Command Headquarters in Ikeja, describing the operation as a major breakthrough in ongoing efforts to curb criminal activities and disrupt illicit supply networks.
The suspects were identified as Chinedu David, 29; Ezeagwu Chukwuma, 38; and Ifeanyi Ogbeanyi, 45.
According to the police commissioner, operatives attached to the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit carried out the operation on Saturday following actionable intelligence.
“Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command attached to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, acting on intelligence-led operations, recorded a major breakthrough with the arrest of three suspects identified as Chinedu David ‘m’, aged 29 years, Ezeagwu Chukwuma ‘m’, aged 38 years, and Ifeanyi Ogbeanyi ‘m’, aged 45 years.
“The operation further led to the recovery of one unregistered MAN diesel truck loaded with 47 sacks containing military camouflage uniforms and 80 cartons of drugs suspected to be illicit substances,” Tijani said.
Preliminary investigations, according to the police boss, indicate that the recovered military uniforms were being transported from Lagos to the South-East.
He said detectives were working to uncover the source of the items, identify their intended recipients and establish whether a wider criminal network was involved.
“Investigation is ongoing to determine the source, ownership, and intended recipients of the recovered items, as well as establish the extent of the suspects’ involvement and identify other persons connected with the criminal act,” he said.
Tijani, however, reassured residents that the intercepted consignment did not pose an immediate threat to Lagos, noting that the truck was intercepted while allegedly moving the items out of the state.
“It does not pose any form of threat to Lagos State. They were moving out of the state, but you know, with the trend of events in the country where we have seen bandits wear military uniforms, who knows what they want to do with this? Nobody could tell,” the commissioner stated.
Police sources familiar with the investigation disclosed that the truck driver and his assistant were initially apprehended before detectives uncovered links to two additional suspects.
“We initially arrested the truck driver and the assistant. We later arrested two other suspects who visited our police station in Surulere to claim the exhibits,” a source said.
The latest recovery comes amid growing security concerns over the proliferation of military-style uniforms among criminal groups, particularly bandits, kidnappers and other armed gangs who often disguise themselves as security personnel to evade detection and gain access to their targets.
Police authorities said investigations remain ongoing and assured the public that all individuals connected to the recovered items would be identified and brought to justice.
