Police dismantle syndicate trafficking military camouflage and hard drugs from Lagos

* Arrest of 4 suspects, additional 34 foreign nationals

By Evelyn Usman

New concerns have arisen over how easily criminal groups can obtain military gear after 47 bags of military camouflage uniforms and caps were found in a truck being moved out of Lagos.

Four individuals suspected of belonging to a syndicate that illegally transports and distributes military equipment across the country were arrested.

The suspects were taken into custody in the early hours of Saturday, June 20, 2026, in the Epe area of Lagos State.

In a separate operation, the Command also arrested 34 foreign nationals during a raid on a building on Lagos Island.

According to the Command, the foreigners could not provide satisfactory explanations for their presence in Lagos.

Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Police Command, CP Fatai Tijani, briefed journalists at the Command headquarters on the arrests and recoveries yesterday:

“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 identified as Chinedu David, aged 29; Ezeagwu Chukwuma, 38; and Ifeanyi Ogbeanyi, 45.”

“The operation also led to the recovery of an unregistered MAN diesel truck loaded with sacks containing military camouflage uniforms and 80 cartons of drugs suspected to be illicit substances.”

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the recovered truck was allegedly being used to transport the military camouflage uniforms to the eastern part of the country.”

“Investigation is ongoing to determine the source, ownership, and intended recipients of the recovered items, as well as to establish the extent of the suspects’ involvement and identify other persons connected with the criminal act.”

“We also recovered different types of drugs that were being moved together with the sacks containing the military camouflage. The case is still under investigation, and we are trying to unravel the brains behind all this,” he said.