Mr. Nwagu Emmanuel, who had been falsely presenting himself as a Commissioner of Police, met his downfall when he was apprehended at the Lagos State Police Command in Ikeja, Lagos.
He had gone there to secure the release of a detained suspect found with a Walkie Talkie. This suspect was paraded alongside 12 others who were arrested in various parts of Lagos for different offenses.
Among the suspects was a 62-year-old man named Ibrahim Bello, who had posed as a lawyer and even appeared in court in full legal attire before it was discovered that he was not a licensed attorney. The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) members alerted the police, leading to his arrest when he could not answer legal questions.
Explaining the circumstances of the arrests, SP Benjamin Hudenyin, the Command spokesman, stated that on September 2, 2023, at about 4:40 pm, Nwagu Emmanuel visited a police premises and introduced himself as a Commissioner of Police. He was fully regarded as such, but upon questioning, he was discovered to be an impersonator.
A search was conducted at his residence, where Deputy Commissioner of Police and Assistant Commissioner of Police warrant cards, along with a Kenwood walkie-talkie, police camouflage singlet, and face cap, were recovered.
However, when questioned, Emmanuel claimed that he had never been a member of the Nigeria Police and attributed his actions to being intoxicated on that particular day. He explained that he accompanied a friend to the police station, where he attempted to introduce his friend to the Area Commander.
The fake ID cards were allegedly given to him by an ASP named ABBA, whom he knew. Emmanuel also mentioned that he had used these credentials in the past, such as when he was stopped by Vehicle Inspection Officers (V.I.O) for a traffic violation. He admitted to buying the wig and robe for court appearances and the law books for personal reading.
In the case of Ibrahim Bello, the 62-year-old estate agent, he claimed that lawyers advised him to handle litigation personally and appear in court on their behalf. He explained that he bought the legal attire and law books for these occasions.
