Police arrest fake soldier extorting money from prostitutes in Abuja

A self-professed soldier, identified only as Emeka, was on Saturday reportedly arrested for extorting money from prostitutes in a brothel in Zone 2 area of Dutsen Alhaji, Abuja.

The 27-year-old man, a resident of Zone 3 in the area, was arrested at about 2.00 a.m. in the brothel fully kitted in army camouflage, Daily Trust is reporting.

His arrest came after he went to the brothel with his accomplice where they broke into the rooms of the prostitutes and forcefully extorted some undisclosed amount of money from them.

Reports claim that the commercial sex workers who refused to give them money were beaten up by the suspects, while some that gave less than N1,000 were tied with rope.

A police source said, “They only spared those that gave them amounts above N1,000 while those that had nothing on them were beaten up,” adding that luck ran out on them when a police crime detection and prevention patrol team stormed the area and the suspect was immediately arrested, while his accomplice escaped.

The Dutsen Alhaji Divisional Police Officer, DPO, Aisha Yusuf, who confirmed the arrest, said an army uniform and some amount of money were recovered from the suspect.

“Investigation has commenced and efforts are ongoing to apprehend his fleeing accomplice,” the DPO stated.