Officers of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Iyana Ipaja axis of Lagos State have arrested a three man gang which specialises in the printing of fake driving licences to unsupecting motorists in the state on a tip off.
The suspects were identified as Waziri Akinyemi, 35, Adewumi Muyiwa, 38, and Osoko Lamoni, 32. According to reports by The Punch, the machine which they had allegedly been using for their printing was recovered from the suspects who had been in operation for several years.
The leader of the group, Waziri Akinyemi, a father of three who claimed not to know the illegality of his trade said that he had been forced into the business because of financial constraints. He also alleged that he got the software he used for the printing for N520,000 and that he charged as low as N2,000 per licence.
He said, “I was initially doing this work with a friend called Ismaila. As he was doing the fake printing of the document, I mastered it although I did not know the documents were fake.
“In 2013, I left Ismaila and opened my own shop in Iyana Ipaja. I got the software from him for about N520,000. It is called the Fago Printer. We also used it to print identity cards. We have a scan jet and laptops programmed to do the job.
“The two other men work with me. I collect N2,000 for every licence processing that they bring from people. Their own commission is N500 per job.
“I knew the licence we got for them was fake. We were trying to help ourselves survive. I did not know that printing a driving licence was an offence.”
Adewumi Muyiwa claimed that while he was aware that the nature of their business was illegal, he couldn’t quit because it was his only source of livelihood.
He said, “I was hustling to feed myself and my family. I initially did not suspect the licence was fake.
“However, some of our customers started complaining about the papers, and that was when I realised we were printing fake documents. I could not stop because that was where I fed. The police should pardon us.”
DSP Kenneth Nwosu, the Police Public Relations Officer, confirming the arrest said, “The suspects are with us, and investigations are ongoing on the matter.”
