The Lagos State Police Command has intercepted a truck conveying military camouflage uniforms and suspected illicit drugs in a major intelligence-led operation in the Surulere area of the state.
The Commissioner of Police, Fatai Tijani, disclosed the development while briefing journalists at the command headquarters in Ikeja on Tuesday. He revealed that three suspects were arrested in connection with the seizure.
According to the police chief, operatives attached to the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit arrested the suspects—Chinedu David, 29, Ezeagwu Chukwuma, 38, and Ifeanyi Ogbeanyi, 45—during an operation carried out on Saturday night.
Tijani said the suspects were apprehended with an unregistered MAN diesel truck loaded with 47 sacks containing military camouflage uniforms and 80 cartons of substances suspected to be illicit drugs.
“Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command attached to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, acting on intelligence-led operations, recorded a major breakthrough with the arrest of three suspects. The operation further led to the recovery of one unregistered MAN diesel truck loaded with 47 sacks containing military camouflage uniforms and 80 cartons of drugs suspected to be illicit substances,” he stated.
Preliminary investigations, according to the commissioner, indicate that the consignment of military uniforms was allegedly being transported to Nigeria’s South-East region.
He added that detectives are working to establish the source of the uniforms and suspected drugs, identify their intended recipients, and uncover other individuals connected to the operation.
“Investigation is ongoing to determine the source, ownership, and intended recipients of the recovered items, as well as establish the extent of the suspects’ involvement and identify other persons connected with the criminal act,” Tijani said.
Addressing concerns about public safety, the commissioner assured residents that the intercepted items did not pose an immediate threat to Lagos, noting that the truck was reportedly headed out of the state when it was intercepted.
“It does not pose any form of threat to Lagos State. They were moving out of the state, but considering recent developments where criminal elements have been found wearing military uniforms, it is difficult to determine what the intended use was,” he said.
A police officer involved in the investigation, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment publicly, disclosed that the truck driver and his assistant were initially arrested before two additional suspects linked to the consignment were identified.
“We first arrested the truck driver and his assistant. Two other suspects were later apprehended after they visited our station in Surulere to claim the recovered items,” the officer said.
The seizure comes amid growing security concerns over the increasing use of military-style uniforms by criminal groups across the country, a trend security agencies have repeatedly warned could undermine public safety and complicate law enforcement efforts.
