Professor, Two Retired Police Officers Arrested Over Illegal Security Outfit

A professor, a retired Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) and seven other persons have been  arrested by the police for allegedly creating an illegal security outfit.

They are one of the several illegal security outfits which, according to the Force Headquarters Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, have been recruiting unsuspecting youths.


Moshood, in a statement entitled ‘Dismantling of Illegal and Unlawful Security Outfits Throughout the Country’ yesterday in Abuja, said  Professor Brimmy Olagbere claimed to be running United African States (UAS) in Nigeria, with an affiliate security outfit known as Land Marine Police Force.

He said:”It is evident that in 2013, Federal Republic of Nigeria official gazette dissolved and proscribed illegal security outfits such as Nigerian Maritime Security Agency (NMSA), Nigerian Merchant Navy Corps and the Nigerian Merchant Navy Petroleum Security and Safety and other quasi illegal security outfits such as United African States (UAS) and Land Marine Police Force whose operations and activities are contrary to the constitution of the Republic of Nigeria and other enabling laws.

“Credible intelligence reports at the disposal of the force revealed that some of these illegal security outfits have started recruiting unsuspecting youths and other members of the public and conducting employment interview and illegal training for them in different locations across the country.

“It has been observed also that Nigerian Maritime Security Agency NMSA, Maritime Security Agency and National Task Force to Combat Illegal Importation/Smuggling of Arms and Ammunition, Light and Chemical/Weapons are still operating outside their mandates and purposes for which they were registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission.”

Moshood said the illegal UAS and its Land Marine Police Force had been operating from an office at 6, Ubiaja Crescent Garki area of Abuja before “more than 150 unemployed persons complained of extortion of N5,000.00 each from them by the organisation under false pretence of employing them but the exercise was discovered to be fake.”

He said the police had  commenced “a nationwide operation to halt and rid the country of illegal/unlawful security outfits constituting national security threat and threat to the protection of life and property of Nigerians across the country and for other massive fraudulent practices and activities.”

Those arrested along with Prof. Brimmy  are  Pastor Henry C. Akujobi who was the organisation’s accounts clerk, Felix Asunomeh who headed its human resources unit, Patrick Eze who was commissioner for education and a retired ASP, Ezekiel K. Damah who was said to be the Commissioner of Police in the Land Marine Police Force.

Also being questioned by the police are  Olagbere’s Personal Assistant, Hobe O. Nicholas, John Ogbaje, a retired Deputy Superintendent of Police who was in the Land Marine Police Force, Ifeoma Okafor who headed the Accounts Section and Deborah Zungwe who was said to be in charge of identity cards.