The Lagos State Police Command yesterday arrested and paraded a former leader of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, Alhaji Mukaila Lamidi, for stockpiling arms and ammunition.
Also, the state Commissioner of Police, Umar Manko, paraded other 10 suspects who specialised in using military uniforms to assault and brutalise innocent citizens, as well as other forms of atrocities.
It was gathered that Lamidi was arrested based on the confessions of one Abdulazeez Amao, an alleged notorious illegal arms dealer, who was recently arrested by the command for smuggling AK47 rifles from Mali and Burkina Faso to Nigeria.
Based on the strength of his confession, the police swung into action, arrested Lamidi and recovered one AK 47 rifle, one 9mm pistol, five automatic pomp action rifle and assorted ammunition which he claimed he acquired from his Amao.
Speaking with journalists at the state command, Lamidi said he acquired the guns illegally to protect himself against assassins who were after his life.
He said: “I sensed victimisation from the All Progressives Congress (APC) because I am a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). I actually bought those guns.
“I bought the AK 47 for N350,000, the pistol was also bought for N350,000. I bought them to protect myself because there was a time armed assassins were after me, I don’t rob with it. I know where all these victimisation is coming from.
“The APC wants to rope me because I am in PDP. They asked me to join them, because I refused to join their party, they decided to put me in trouble. I am a strong member of the PDP and I don’t regret it.”
Meanwhile, one of the fake soldiers, identified as John Musa, who operates around Festac Town area with his syndicates told journalists that he stole his uniform in a commercial bus.
He said: “I escort vehicles who carry goods and commercial vehicles to avoid being harassed by policemen and members of the NURTW. I am paid N3,500 per day for the job. I never knew I would be caught.
“It was one soldier at Ojo Barracks who exposed me and handed us over to the military police who in turn handed me over to the police Area Commander, Area E Command.”
Manko, who warned criminals to leave the state or face the wrath of the law said he directed the officer in charge of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) Abba Kyari to pick up the NURTW leader.
He said: “Two SARS Lagos ‘Decoy’ teams were briefed and deployed to Oyo State with extensive GSM data obtained from Lamidi’s phone number. After three days of diligent follow up, he was arrested.
“He confessed to have given his AK 47 rifle to one Tirimisiyu Olowoposi in Ibadan. Effort to arrest the said Timirisiyu proved abortive as he is already aware of Mukaila’s arrest. Kyari and his men are working hard with his men with a view to arresting him soonest.”
