Military authorities in Lagos State on Wednesday urged residents to be wary of criminals, who were impersonating their personnel to perpetrate nefarious activities in the area.
Brig. -Gen. Adeniyi Oyemade, Commandant, 9 Mechanised Brigade of the Nigerian Army, gave the advice at a media briefing in Ikeja, which was to sensitise residents on the growing cases of impersonation of military personnel in the state.
The occasion was organised by the State Security Council, and was attended by top military officers.
Oyemade said that cases of criminals wearing mostly military camouflage to commit crime had increased.
He said that the development had greatly undermined the security of the state and that of the country
“We are urging residents to be wary of criminals who disguise as officers of the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Air Force, or the Navy, to perpetrate crimes, and carry out other negative activities in the state.
“We urge the public to co-operate with us in tracking down these people.
“They could help us by reporting to us suspicious activities of anybody in uniform around them, for immediate action.
“All our phones have camera now.
“We urge members of the public to effectively use their camera phones, especially when they happen to be in the vicinity where criminal activities are being committed,” he said.
The commandant also said that the use of camouflage by young people for social activities undermined security, saying the military would no longer condone the practice.
Oyemade blamed the proliferation of military uniforms on smuggling activities at the nation’s borders, and that the military was taking urgent steps to address the problem.
He urged officers to uphold the integrity of the military, by ensuring that their kits were kept out of the reach of criminals.
Oyemade urged military personnel to conduct themselves properly while on duty, saying that the authorities would not condone any act of indiscipline from the officers and men.
The officer said the military had done a lot to improve its relationship with members of the public.
He said the improved rapport had enabled officers and men to carry out their work more effectively.
