Fifty five trainees of the Nigerian Navy Basic Training School, Onne, Rivers State, have been dismissed for using fake certificates to gain recruitment into the Nigerian Navy.
The dismissed officers have been handed over to the police for prosecution.
Addressing journalists Tuesday on the matter in Port Harcourt, the Commandant of the Nigerian Navy Basic Training School Onne, Apochi O. Suleiman, said the 55 trainees alongside others joined the Nigerian Navy three months ago, only to be discovered that their certificates were either forged, altered or doctored.
According to him, out of the 1,214 recruits, 55 were discovered to have submitted fake results to the Naval authorities.
Suleiman further explained that the verification exercise was carried out by the Navy Headquarters, Abuja.
The Navy spokesman said the action should send a strong signal to those hanging around to join the Navy with questionable certificates, stressing that the exercise is continuous.
In a related development, the police have paraded one Francis Uche who hails from Okposi in Ohaozara local government area of Ebonyi State, for impersonating a 2nd Lieutenant of the Nigerian Army.
According to the Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Ben Ugwuegbulam, the said fake army officer was arrested by the 2 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Bori Camp, Port Harcourt, at Timber Shade, in Oyigbo local government area of Rivers State while parading himself as a military officer and handed over to the police for prosecution.
The PPRO stated that upon further investigation, the police discovered that the said Francis Uche was dismissed from the Nigerian Army 63 Regular Recruitment Training in 2009 and has been using the military uniform for illegal activities since then.
Ugwuegbulam said the Army officer and the 55 dismissed Naval trainees will soon be charged to court. ###
Barth Ndu
