A dismissed naval officer has been arrested in Lagos for impersonation and assault.

The Lagos State Police have arrested a former Nigerian Naval officer for impersonating active military personnel and assaulting citizens. The arrest came after the suspect and his associates were caught assaulting a hotel worker.

The incident began when a hotel client, who had hired the suspect, was asked to stop smoking in a non-smoking area. The suspect, despite being dismissed from the Nigerian Navy in 2000, has been posing as a serving naval officer for illicit activities.

According to SP Benjamin Hundeyin, the Lagos Police Public Relations Officer, the suspect charged N20,000 to mobilize his group for physical assaults on behalf of clients.

Hundeyin emphasized the seriousness of the offense, highlighting how the impersonator used his fake military status to intimidate and harm unsuspecting people. The Lagos State Police are preparing to arraign the suspect.

In a separate matter, Hundeyin mentioned that police have the right to demand drone permits from the public. This response came after a viral video showed policemen requesting a drone permit from an operator on the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge in Lagos.

Hundeyin clarified that Nigerian aviation laws require a permit from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority for drones weighing over 250 grams. However, he acknowledged that the officers in the video acted improperly by attempting to extort the drone operator. As a result, they have been summoned by the Lagos Police Commissioner for disciplinary action.