The Bauchi State Police Command has apprehended a 26-year-old man, John Umar, over allegations of impersonation, assault, theft and criminal breach of trust.
The suspect, who hails from Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, was accused of using a false military identity to gain the confidence of unsuspecting members of the public before allegedly committing crimes.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Bauchi State, Nafiu Habib, confirmed the arrest in a statement, explaining that the investigation began after a resident of Gida Dubu in Bauchi metropolis lodged a formal complaint.
According to the police, the complainant, Salisu, said he received a telephone call on October 18, 2026, from a man who introduced himself as John Umar Shehu and expressed interest in working as a driver at his pure water factory.
Salisu invited the applicant to his factory for an interview and practical driving assessment scheduled for October 19, 2026, to evaluate his suitability for the job.
However, the recruitment process allegedly took a criminal turn on October 22 when the suspect reportedly attacked the factory owner and his neighbor’s son before escaping with the owner’s vehicle.
The stolen vehicle was identified as a white H-Jet with registration number AE-278-ALK and a green Infinix Smart 5X mobile phone was also reportedly taken during the incident.
Habib said police detectives launched an investigation following the complaint and eventually tracked down the suspect through intelligence-driven operations.
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He disclosed that the suspect was arrested in connection with the incident, while a search reportedly uncovered several military clothing items believed to have been used to support his false identity.
Among the recovered items were two sets of military camouflage uniforms, a jungle hat, an Army raincoat, a camouflage vest and an Army sweater.
The police spokesperson further disclosed that the stolen vehicle was recovered from the suspect in Jos, Plateau State.
Investigators also discovered that the suspect allegedly posed as Private Umar Shehu, claiming military service number NA/22/82/1064 and an attachment to the 7 Division, Maimalari Barracks, 134 Special Forces Battalion, Borno State.
Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, condemned the alleged misuse of the Nigerian Army’s identity for criminal purposes.
Aliyu warned that the command would not tolerate the impersonation of security personnel for criminal purposes, assuring that the suspect would be thoroughly investigated and subsequently arraigned in court.
THE PUNCH
