Operatives of the Oyo State Police Command have arrested no fewer than 10 suspects for allegedly engaging in impersonation and large-scale forgery of official documents in Ibadan.

The arrests followed actionable intelligence received, indicating that a syndicate specialising in the production of fake certificates, stamps and official documents was operating from a hideout in the Ogunpa area of the city.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, disclosed in a statement on Sunday that operatives of the Command Monitoring Unit swiftly carried out a coordinated operation, leading to the arrest of the suspects.

Those arrested include Mumini Akanbi (62), Quadri Muhammed (31), Salami Tajudeen (50), Oladipupo Hammed (45), Oladipupo Taiwo (40), Olorunosebi Kazzeem (42), Fatai Akanni (54), Alamu Kazeem (60), Olalekan Afeez (42) and Alex Olanrewaju (64).

Ayanlade said search warrants were subsequently executed at the suspects’ operational bases, where several incriminating items were recovered.

Items recovered include a fake Police Character Certificate, stamps belonging to the Nigeria Police Force Criminal Investigation Department, Ogun State CID Eleweran Office, Iyaganku Area Command, as well as stamps of various Divisional Police Officers, Oyo State Government ministries, commercial banks and private organisations.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects are members of a well-organised syndicate involved in the production and use of forged instruments for impersonation and other fraudulent activities.

“The suspects have confessed to their involvement and are currently providing useful information to aid ongoing investigations,” the statement added.

The Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, commended the operatives for their professionalism and swift response, while also appreciating members of the public for providing timely and credible information that led to the breakthrough.

He urged residents to always follow due process when obtaining official documents to avoid falling victim to fraudsters.

The police added that investigation is ongoing and the suspects would be charged to court upon its conclusion, reaffirming the command’s commitment to tackling criminal activities in the state. (The Guardian)