The authorities of the Nigerian Navy have disowned one Lawal Alli, who was allegedly involved in the hijack of a truck loaded with goods worth N20m.The Director, Naval Information, Commodore Kabiru Aliyu, said in a statement on Thursday that the suspect, now in police custody, had never served in the Nigerian Navy.
The suspect had claimed that he was a naval officer who was conscripted into the navy in 2006 and dismissed in 2010 for abandoning his duty post.
But Aliyu said the suspect had told his interrogators he was not a naval officer, but actually got the naval uniform, with which he committed the crime, from the Merchant Navy.
He said the navy had since handed over the suspect to the men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Ikeja, Lagos.
He said the naval authorities decided to conduct investigation into the issue following media reports that a naval officer was involved in hijacking the truck carrying goods worth N20m.
The statement said, “The Nigerian Navy wishes to disown a purported naval officer, one Lawal Alli, who was involved in the incidence of the hijack of a truck with goods worth N20m. After the story was published, the Naval Headquarters instituted an investigation into the incidence with a view to ascertaining the true status of the accused person.
“During the investigation, it was discovered that the accused never served in the Nigerian Navy. Furthermore, the accused confessed that the naval uniform he was wearing at the time of the commission of the offence was obtained from the Merchant Navy. Evidently, the accused is an imposter who will face the full wrath of the law. He has since been handed over to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad in Ikeja Lagos.”
The director warned that the navy would arrest anybody caught using its uniform and ensure the prosecution of such offenders.
