ake Soldier blames Poverty By Patience Ogbo Samuel Johnson,22 who was arrested by the police  for allegedly impersonating a soldier blamed the act on poverty. Samuel a graduate of Graphic Arts from the Adeniran Ogunsola College of Education Lagos. The police arrested Samuel  on September 17, 2012, wearing  military uniform   with the rank of lance corporal which he accorded himself. It was gathered that Samuel was inially arrested by soldiers over suspicion that he was impersonating and handed him over to the police after  he claimed he was  attached to the Ojo Cantonment, Lagos. However, before Samuel was arrested he had made brisk cash from selling security gadgets to security personnel. " I went into selling security gadgets because I discovered that with the insecurity in Nigeria people want to protect themselves so after leaving school I went into practising graphic arts but it was not lucrative. I thought that if I start claiming to be a soldier people will respect me as in this country you need to be respected before you can get any thing" Samuel said he got his uniform from his military friends and from the market. The police recovered three police walkie talkies, 10 pairs of military uniforms, four pairs of military boots and six military belts with different identity cards. The Commissioner of Police for the command,  Umar Manko, stated that  Samuel's arrest reveals how criminals impersonate security operatives for their selfish ends.  “I have always said that most of these crimes are sometimes not committed by genuine officers. Sometimes, you will see somebody in complete uniform  in action. The suspect has never gone for military training and yet he carries out  operations."Mr Manko said. Sent Mail