By peterside Rejoice Eneky
The Niger State Police Command has arrested a dismissed soldier for allegedly impersonating a serving military officer and defrauding multiple Point of Sale (PoS) operators of a total sum of N920,000 across different locations in the state.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, the suspect, identified as Michael Musa, was taken into custody following complaints from victims and an investigation initiated by the Tudun-Wada Police Division.
The case was initially referred to the division by a magistrate court on May 27 after three individuals reported being defrauded by the same individual under similar circumstances.
The police revealed that on separate occasions in May, the suspect, dressed in military camouflage, visited PoS shops in Bida, Kataeregi, and along Mandela Road in Minna.
In each case, he allegedly deceived the operators, collected large sums of money under false pretenses, and fled the scenes. The total amount fraudulently obtained from the victims was estimated at N920,000.
Police detectives, aided by technical intelligence, eventually tracked down and arrested Musa at his residence on Mandela Road, Minna. During interrogation, he confessed to the crimes and disclosed that he had been dismissed from the Nigerian Army in 2022 while serving in Benin, Edo State.
The police spokesperson added that the investigation is still ongoing, as more victims have continued to come forward with similar complaints against the suspect. The command assured the public of its commitment to ensuring justice and cracking down on impersonation and fraudulent activities across the state.
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