Ex-Army Private Turns Serial Conman

A dismissed Army private who poses as an Army Major has been arrested by soldiers for conning unsuspecting members of the public. Kabiru John was arrested by soldiers serving at 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army, in Benin City, Edo State, southern Nigeria. John who posed as an Army Major, had allegedly perpetrated numerous fraud, including tricking two men, Ayeni Friday and Tony Kabaka into parting with their vehicles. The Public Relations Officer of 4 Brigade, Captain Roselyn Managbe, who paraded the fake major and aother suspected criminals, said a Benin-based businessman cum politician, Kabaka, lost his Lexus SUV to the fake Army Major who promised to facilitate his son’s admission into the Nigeria Defence Academy, while Ayeni also lost his Chrysler 300 car under similar circumstance. •The fake Major Kabiru and his car loot •The fake Major Kabiru and his car loot Managbe further disclosed that soldiers from the Brigade also arrested suspected armed robbers, including Monday Aigbe, an ex-convict and a suspected narcotics dealer, Mrs. Josephine Ochini. “On 20 June 2013, Mr. Ayeni Friday of No 17, Eguavoen Avenue, Benin City complained to troops of Operation Thunder Storm that he gave his vehicle, a blue Chrysler 300 2005/2006 model without registration number to Major John Kabiru of 4 Brigade Provost Company for repairs on 28 May, 2013”, Managbe said, adding that all efforts to retrieve the car from Major Kabiru proved abortive. “Our preliminary investigation revealed that Mr. Kabiru John had been parading himself as a Major in the Nigerian Army. It was also revealed that he claimed to be serving in 4 Brigade as the Officer Commanding the Provost Company. It was further revealed that he was always seen around dressed in full military gear while involving himself in all forms of shady deals and duping unsuspecting victims. “Mr. John Kabiru confessed that the Lexus jeep which was recovered from him with registration number EDO BF 607 USL belonged to Mr. Tony Kabaka of 18, Etete GRA, Benin-City. The suspect claimed that he deceived and collected the Lexus jeep from the victim with the promise that he would secure admission for his son into the Nigeria Defence Academy. “He also confessed that he had duped several unsuspecting persons under the pretext of either helping them to join the Nigerian Army or securing admissions for their wards into military institutions,” Managbe said. Speaking to journalists, John, who claimed to have joined the army in 2003, said he was dismissed in 2006, adding that he graduated in Electrical Engineering, from Nasarrawa State Polytechnic. “I served at 82 Battalion, Jos, but I was dismissed in 2006, with the rank of Private. I was doing this (impersonating) because friends that I knew thought I was still in the army. I have learnt to think good things, I have learnt to stay out of crime and stop parading myself wrongly,” he said. Items recovered from the fake army officer include one fake JTF staff tag, International passport, combat gears, an army kit bag, a digital camera and vehicle number plate. Others paraded by the Brigade included an armed robbery suspect, Monday Aigbe, an ex-convict, and a suspected narcotics dealer, Mrs. Josephine Ochini. Among items recovered from some of the other suspected criminals are one long single barrel gun, live cartridge, expended cartridges, military wares, hammer, pliers and three mobile telephone handsets.