By Christopher Oji
The Lagos State Police Command said it has bursted an illegal military camp with code name, Nigeria Marchant Navy, at Ogudu area of the State.
The police said that 107 suspects, including one of their commanders, were arrested, while several military accoutrements, which included camouflages, barges of ranks, signboards, and identity cards, were recovered from the camp.
Other items recovered included recruitment letters, promotion letters and portrait of the commanding officer, two motorcycles, plasma television, three cutlases, charms and other items.
The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hakeem Odumosu, who paraded the suspects at the command Headquarters, Ikeja, yesterday, said that the Nigerian Marchant Navy had since been outlawed by the Federal Government, hence it was illegal for anyone to operate such a military outfit; giving military training to unsuspecting young Nigerians was not a good thing for the country.
“This trend portends danger for our nation and a threat to peace and security; it, therefore, beholds on us, as a law enforcement agency, to enforce such law banning activities of the illegal military outfit.
“I want to use this medium to warn other individuals or groups still operating such illegal outfits in any part of the State, to close it, forthwith. Anyone nursing the plan to operate such an outlawed security outfit is advised, in his own interest, to rescind the decision or face the full wrath of the law. The police will not hesitate to clamp down on them and their operators and bring them to book. We, therefore, urge members of the public with useful information about anyone operating a clandestine military outfit or training camp to inform the police for necessary action.”
