CYRIACUS IZUEKWE
A 29-year-old man, Ukeme Samuel, has been arraigned before a Magistrate Court in Lagos for allegedly impersonating as a Police officer and extorting money from members of the public in the Agege area of the state.
The defendant, Ukeme Samuel ‘M’, aged 29 years, was brought before the Ikeja Magisterial District on a two-count charge bordering on impersonation and conduct likely to cause breach of peace.
According to the charge sheet marked Charge No: 1914/40/417/2026, between the Commissioner of Police Vs Ukeme Samuel ‘M’, the defendant allegedly committed the offences on a day in September 2026, at about 12:20pm along Tu Road, Ipaja Road, Agege, Lagos.
The Police prosecutor, SP Josephine Ihkayere, told the court that the defendant unlawfully presented himself as a member of the Nigeria Police Force before unsuspecting members of the public and used the false identity to extort and harass them.
The charges read:
Count I: “That you, Ukeme Samuel ‘M’ on the said day of September 2026, at about 12:20pm along Tu Road, Ipaja, Agege, Lagos in the Ikeja Magisterial District, did impersonate yourself as a member of the Nigeria Police Force before members of the public and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 77(b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.”
Count II: “That you, Ukeme Samuel ‘M’ on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District did conduct yourself in a manner likely to cause the breach of peace by extorting and harassing members of the public and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 168(d) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to him in court.
Following his plea, the prosecutor, SP Josephine Ihkayere, asked the court for a date for trial and urged the court to remand the defendant in custody pending trial, noting that the matter is still under investigation and that the defendant might interfere if released without stringent conditions.
The presiding Magistrate, Mr. L.A. Owolabi, considered the application and granted bail to the defendant in liberal terms to enable him prepare for his defence.
Magistrate Owolabi ordered that the defendant be granted bail with two responsible sureties who must show evidence of means of livelihood and evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
He also directed that the sureties must be verified by the court and must provide valid means of identification and proof of residence within the magisterial jurisdiction.
The court further ordered that the defendant be remanded in custody at the Correctional Center, Kirikiri Town, Lagos, pending the perfection of his bail conditions.
The matter was adjourned to a later date for mention and trial, while the case file was directed to be duplicated and sent to the Office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, DPP, for legal advice.
Sources at the Pen-Cinema Police Division, where the case was reported, said the defendant was arrested by a team of policemen on patrol after complaints from members of the public that a man who was not a policeman was stopping people along the road and demanding money.
It was gathered that upon interrogation, it was discovered that the defendant was not a member of the Nigeria Police Force and had no authorization to carry out any Police duties. He was subsequently arrested and exhibits recovered from him were documented.
The Police have warned members of the public to be wary of impostors parading themselves as police officers to extort money, and urged residents to report such persons to the nearest police station.
The offence of impersonation under Section 77 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015 attracts penalties including imprisonment for persons found guilty of falsely representing themselves as public officers.
The case continues.
