(The truck carrying military camouflage. Photo by Leadership News)
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested four suspects following the interception of a truck loaded with bags containing military camouflage uniforms and cartons of suspected hard drugs allegedly being transported from Lagos to the South-east.
The Commissioner of Police, Tijani Fatai, disclosed this on Tuesday during a press briefing at the command headquarters in Ikeja, where he highlighted major achievements recorded by the command over the past two weeks.
Fatai said operatives of the State Tactical Squad intercepted the truck on Saturday night following intelligence reports that the items were being moved out of Lagos through the Lekki-Epe corridor.
He said the vehicle was carrying several sacks containing military camouflage uniforms as well as cartons of various types of drugs.
“These bags you are seeing here contain military camouflage. We received information and swung into action.
The vehicle conveying the sacks was intercepted while moving out of Lagos State, and those carrying them were arrested,” he stated.
Four suspects are currently in custody, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend others connected to the consignment. Preliminary findings indicated the items were headed to the eastern part of the country, though investigators were still working to establish the exact destination and intended use.
The interception comes weeks after the Nigeria Customs Service seized a luxury bus conveying military camouflage uniforms and illicit drugs along the Sagamu-Ore-Benin Expressway.
Officials said that vehicle, also heading towards the South-east, contained military apparel and narcotics concealed in cartons and hidden compartments, raising fresh concerns among security agencies about the movement of military uniforms outside authorised channels.
Asked whether the intercepted items posed a threat to security in Lagos, Fatai said there was no indication the uniforms were intended for use within the state, but expressed concern about the possible use of military camouflage by criminal elements in other parts of the country, particularly in areas affected by b@ndiry and violent crimes.
Foreign nationals arrested
The commissioner also announced the arrest of foreign nationals during a separate operation on Lagos Island, comprising 14 citizens of Chad, nine from Burkina Faso, four from Benin Republic, four Malians, two Togolese, two Cameroonians and one Guinean.
He said many of those arrested were unable to provide satisfactory explanations about their activities in Nigeria, with most claiming to be into networking without offering further clarity.
Fatai explained that the individuals are being profiled by the State Criminal Investigation Department and would subsequently be handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service for further action.
He clarified that the suspects were not among the foreign nationals whose activities recently attracted attention online, describing them as a separate group identified through intelligence gathering.
Firearms recovered
Police operatives also acted on a tip-off from residents of an estate in the Ijanikin area of Lagos who reported the presence of suspicious individuals within the community.
The operation led to the arrest of suspects and the recovery of two double-barrelled guns and six locally made single-barrel firearms.
‘One chance’ syndicate dismantled
Fatai further disclosed that operatives had dismantled a syndicate involved in “one chance” r0bb3ries in the state. Investigations revealed the existence of a suspected financier who allegedly rented vehicles for gang members and deployed them to various locations to carry out their operations.
The suspected kingpin remains at large, though detectives said they were closing in based on information obtained from arrested members.
Mushin explosion probe
The commissioner also addressed a recent explosion in the Mushin area, saying police explosives experts were still analysing materials recovered from the scene and had yet to determine the exact cause of the blast. He promised a full briefing once investigations were concluded.
Ammunition parcel
Fatai confirmed that the command was investigating a case involving the Managing Director of First Bank, who reportedly received a parcel containing two rounds of live 7.62mm ammunition delivered to his residence and collected by a security guard.
No arrest had been made in connection with the incident, though the complainant had mentioned individuals he suspected could be linked to the delivery.
The commissioner reaffirmed the command’s commitment to combating criminal activities and ensuring the safety of residents across Lagos State.