The suspects, Corporal Frank Owuze, Lance Corporal Anthony Uloko, Bashiru Azeez, a merchant navy, Bethel Ambuogwu and Sunday Atamatasy, a civilian, who were intention, earlier broke the wall of police cell about 2am yesterday and escaped.
The station guard heard the noise as the wall carved in and raised the alarm. Members of the community were alerted and assisted the police in tracking and arresting all the five suspects.
Six jack knives and military uniforms were recovered from them. Owuze is attached to the Nigerian Army, 63, Medical Corps, Yaba.
Uloko is the corporal who used to dress in full lieutenant uniform to hoodwink people, especially policemen.
A senior police officer, who said that the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba, Lagos State, for further investigation, from Area ‘L’ Command, added that Uloko was discovered to have fooled several policemen in different police formations in Lagos.
“We discovered that he had gone several times to the office of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Lagos State Command, to take bail of suspects. Several suspects had been granted bail based on recognition of his rank and in the spirit of esprit de corps,” the source said. During interrogation, Uloko claimed that he was working on the orders of one of his bosses, an Army captain. According to him, all the suspects were connected to the captain.
He alleged that it was the captain who told him to always wear full lieutenant uniform to SARS whenever he sends him to bail suspects. The captain allegedly told him that the rank would earn him respect. Uloko said that the ruse worked. The soldiers and their accomplices became guests of the Area ‘’L Police Command after they attempted to collect ‘settlement’ from oil dealers, pretending to be ‘Petroleum Task Force.’
It was gathered that the soldiers initially demanded N1 million, but the oil thieves said they had only N300,000 on them. The soldiers said they could collect N500,000 and nothingness or they would take them to their station. The oil dealers elected one of their members to go and get the remaining N200,000.
Rather than get the money, the man alerted the Area ‘L’ Commander, Mr Samuel Ojo. The area commander raised a team and told the members what to do. The policemen followed the instructions and soon arrested the soldiers. One of the soldiers, Owuze, told the police that Atamatasy brought him into the operation. Owuze reportedly said:
“It was Sunday that planned everything. He said that we should pretend to be from Petroleum Task Force.” Owuze confessed to have informed Uloko about the deal because he used to see him in full lieutenant uniform. Uloko joined and later led the operation. On the fateful day in question, Azeez, Atamatasy and Ambuogwu were all in full naval uniforms.
It was gathered that Uloko brought the three men into the deal. He introduced them to Owuze as genuine naval personnel. Owuze said he believed Uloko, because he had sighted Azeez, several times in naval uniforms. “They were arrested and placed in police cell,” said a source. “About 2am, they broke the wall of the cell and escaped.
The station guard raised the alarm. The command alerted the community. The community was combed and five of them rearrested,” the source added. When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Joe Offor, said he would call back twice, but
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