Man arrested for printing, distributing fake police ID cards

The officers of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested a man, Michael Utsu, allegedly parading himself as a police officer before commercial motorcyclists and defrauding them the sum of N670,000.

The command’s spokesman, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, who confirmed the arrest on Sunday, December 31, said the suspect was arrested after information about his activities was received for allegedly printing fake police ID cards and issued them to some motorcyclists, who paid him between N50,000 and N70,000.

Hundeyin said the purpose of issuing them the card was to serve as ‘police errand boys’, should they be stopped at any security checkpoint, particularly police checkpoint.

He added: “It is a case of conspiracy, impersonation, obtaining money under false pretense, and stealing.

“We got information on December 12 against one Michael Utsu and others now at large.

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“The suspect, on October 25, presented himself to be a police officer attached to Zone 2 Headquarters, Onikan, Lagos State, and was collecting passport photographs from commercial motorcyclists.

“He promised to print them a police plastic identity card meant for errand boys to police, using different police formations for the ID card issued to the motorcyclists, collecting between N50,000 and N70,000 on each ID card issued.”

The police spokesperson noted that the suspect confessed to the crime, stressing that the cards printed were given to motorcyclists at the Ojo, Okokomaiko, and Ajangbadi areas of Lagos and collected the amount from the victims.

Hundeyin said the suspect would be charged to court upon the completion of the investigation.

The Star