The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Anambra State Command has apprehended a suspect posing as a civil defence officer and using the uniform to harass, extort, and commit fraudulent activities against unsuspecting citizens.
The suspect, Emmanuel Oche, was paraded at the NSCDC command headquarters in Awka on Wednesday by the state commandant, Olatunde Maku.
Maku urged the public to remain vigilant and exercise caution when approached by anyone claiming to be a civil defence officer.
According to Maku, the suspect was arrested on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, around 1:00 PM, after operatives on routine patrol acted on intelligence regarding the suspect’s suspicious activities near Aroma in Awka.
He said, “Acting on this information, the team swung into action and apprehended the suspect; Emmanuel Oche, male, aged 55 from Agila Town in Ado Local Government Area of Benue State dressed in an NSCDC uniform.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that Oche, the impersonator, used his fake civil defence officer status to intimidate and exploit innocent victims.
“Shockingly, Oche confessed to buying the NSCDC uniform from a second-hand cloth seller in Ogbunike, Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State, revealing the extent of his deceitful tactics.”
Consequently, the State Commandant has ordered the investigation and intelligence department to conduct a discreet investigation to unravel the source of the uniform in addition to the motive behind the suspect’s impersonation of a Civil Defence officer.