Operatives of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC ) have arrested four members of an alleged illegal security outfit in Lagos.
The suspects Charles Joenwoke, 27, Nnaike Nwuike, 32, Daniel Vwedesky, 29, and Felix Atang, 30, all members of Citizen for Peace and First Aid Mission of Nigeria (CPFAMN) were arrested on October 19, at Ita-Oluwo in Ikorodu.
State Commandant NSCDC Tajudeen Balogun said the guards, who were found with a pistol, cutlasses, a battle axe and other weapons were illegally guarding a property.
Parading the suspect on Monday, Balogun said NSCDC was on the trail of their boss, which they alleged to be a retired general.
He said: “Their operation is illegal. The name of their claimed company is not registered; that makes them dangerous to the society.
“At the time of arrest, a Volkswagen Golf car with registration number UXL-158 HP, two motorcycles, four machetes and one locally made pistol was recovered.
“Other items recovered include 10 mobile phones, four land-line phones, one red candle, one Jack knife, handcuff, one first aid box, four uniforms, 11 different combat boots, nine ID Cards, one generator, among others.
“No private guard company is allowed to operate with weapons (guns and machetes) and without licence.
“The Lagos Command of NSCDC is committed to ridding the state of all criminal elements. We appeal to the public to say something when they see something.”
The suspect however denied owning the pistol, insisting they found it while clearing the bush at the property they were contracted to secure.
They said they were made to belief the company was registered and a federal government agency, adding that they got their recruitment firms from the internet.
Asked where their boss was, the suspect said he was in Kaduna and that the agency had offices across the nation.
Balogun also paraded two men for alleged sale of pre-registered simcards and carrying out registration in unauthorised structures.
He said the men were arrested in collaboration with officials of one of the telecommunication companies, adding that all the suspects would be charged to court.
