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Tag: Customs officer

  • Struggle to disarm Customs officer killed victim – PRO

    The Nigerian Customs Services (NCS) on Sunday said that preliminary investigation has shown that it was during the struggle to disarm the officer that his riffle discharged and hit the friend of the Customs (Godwin) who lost his life. 

    The Public Relations Officer, Mr. Joseph Attah, who disclosed this in a statement  said the incident emanated from its anti-smuggling operation at Shagamu interchange along Ijebu Ode.

    According to the statement, the deceased was a friend of one of the Customs officer and not a passenger as insinuated in a circulated video clip.

    The statement noted that the NCS sympathizes with the victim and the wounded Customs officer was in an intensive care unit.

    He said that: “Preliminary finding indicate that it was during the skirmishes and struggle to disarm the Officer that the riffle discharged and hit the friend of the Customs (Godwin) who lost his life. The Service is already in touch with the bereaved family.”

    Attah also said that “Sadly, it should be noted that while attention shifted to the dead and the wounded, the passengers who filmed with inciting commentaries boarded their vehicle and left, leaving the wrong impression that it was one of them that was killed.”

    The PRO explained that its attention was drawn to a disturbing video going viral with conflicting narratives.

    Attah said that “While it is painful and totally unnecessary to loose life in anti-smuggling operations, today at Shagamu interchange along Ijebu Ode, attempt to obstruct lawful performance of duty by passengers of a commercial bus (a white Toyota Hiace) suspected to be carrying bales of used clothing led to the death of a young man (Godwin) and serious injury of a Customs Officer, ASC1, Destiny Onebamho.

    “Contrary to some narratives, the young man was not a passenger of the bus but a good citizen who always come to fetch water for Customs Patrol men anytime they return to the base.

    “While the wounded Officer is under intensive care at the hospital, the patrol team has been recalled to the office for further investigation.”

  • Customs officer held for ‘shooting’ motorist

    The police yesterday arrested a customs officer for allegedly shooting a motorist at Iya-Afin check point in Badagry.

    Police sources told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Badagry that the officer allegedly shot the victim on the right arm for refusing to stop for a check.

    According to a source, the motorist, was coming from Seme Border.

    “Friends and relations of the victim who were around, mobilised the people to attack the officer and it almost degenerated into chaos,” a witness said.

    Badagry Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Samson Akinromen, a Superintendent (SP), visited the scene and ordered the arrest of the customs officer.

    “The officer was taken to Badagry Police Station while the victim was rushed to an unknown hospital,” the source said.

    It was learnt that relatives of the victim who visited the police station were told that the case had been transferred to Police Area “K” Command at Morogbo.

    Saidu Abdullahi, Seme Border Customs spokesman, told NAN that the incident was yet to be reported to the command.

     

  • Police arraign fake Customs officer

    A 36-year-old man, Tunde Adewole, has been arraigned by the police at an Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court, Ekiti State, for allegedly posing as an officer of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

    He is standing trial for alleged forgery and fraud.

    Police prosecutor Johnson Okunade told the court that the defendant and others at large committed the offence on June 20, about 1000hrs, at Egbewa Street, Ado-Ekiti.

    He alleged that the accused and others at large committed felony to wit impersonation by presenting himself as a Customs officer.

    Okunade alleged that the accused and others at large forged Customs papers for a Lexus ES 359 vehicle.

    He added that the accused and others at large obtained money under false pretence by collecting N850,000 from  Aniyikaye Olumide, promising to issue him a genuine Customs paper for his Lexus ES 350 vehicle, which he failed to do.

    According to him, the offences contravene sections 108 (2), 467 and 419 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ekiti State 2012.

    The defendant pleaded not guilty.

    His lawyer, Mr. Chris Omokhafe, urged the court to grant him bail, promising that he will not jump bail.

    The Chief Magistrate, Mr. Adesoji Adegboye, granted the defendant bail at N400,000 with two sureties having verifiable addresses.

    He adjourned the case till January 26 for hearing.

  • Three arrested for killing Customs officer

    The police in Katsina State have arrested three persons for the alleged murder of two Customs Officers.

    Police spokesman Gambo Isah stated this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday.

    “The Customs officers were Assistant Superintendent of Customs (ASC) Nuruddeen Babandi and Chief Superintendent of Customs (CSC) Maidamma Yabo,” he said.

    According to him, the deceased served under the Federal Operations Department, and were on routine patrol when they were killed.

    “The Command has deployed officers and men to the scene to investigate the matter. A motorcycle and a military belt were recovered from the suspects,” he added.

    The Customs officers were killed at Dogon-Hawa, near Shargalle village in Dutsi Local Government Area on Sunday night.

    The House of Assembly has invited four top government officials in-charge of security matters, to explain the increasing cases of robbery.

  • Gunmen abduct woman Customs officer

    Two gunmen suspected to be kidnappers, on Tuesday night abducted Mrs Comfort Alaba, a staff of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in Festac Town, Lagos.

    Sources told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos, that the two-man gang stormed Tastee Fried Chicken (TFC) outlet at 22 Road, FESTAC Town and abducted the woman at about 8pm.

    NAN gathered that the victim, who was attached to Tincan Command SDV, a bonded terminal of the NCS, was with her two daughters, when the masked men stormed out of their car and picked her up.

    One of the victim’s daughters, Faith Alaba, went to social media to announce the abduction of their mother and called on Nigerians and security agents to assist the family to secure her release.

    She said: “My mother was kidnapped this evening in front of me and my younger sister in a black Murano jeep.

    “We were at TFC at 22 road, FESTAC outside in the car and two men came around.

    “My sister ran out of the car. My mother was still screaming and struggling when the other one pointed a gun at me.

    “We ran away and by the time we looked back as we were screaming for help, they zoomed off.

    “Please, reach me and my family on 08166098469.

    “Our mother was taken away in a black Murano Jeep with Teg. No. EPE103CY,” Faith pleaded in her tweeter page.

    She said that the two masked men came out of their vehicle with guns and kidnapped his mother.

    “I saw them at close range but I won’t be able to recognise them.

    “I don’t know if anyone has any grudge against my mum but I am appealing to them to please free her.

    “Already, we have notified the police at Area E command, but nothing has been done so far to the best of our knowledge.

    “We have not been contacted by the kidnappers. My mother is smallish in stature. She has a gap in her teeth and has a huge birthmark on her arm, which is arrow- like shaped.”

    The Customs spokesman in Tincan Island, Uche Ejesieme, a Chief Superintendent of Customs, confirmed the incident.

    He said that his office had informed Customs headquarters in Abuja about the development.

    “The lady is attached to SDV, one of custom’s bonded terminal under Tincan Island Command.

    “The family has reported to the police and the police are investigating with a view to rescue her.”

    Lagos Stat Police spokesperson, SP Dolapo Badmos, who also confirmed the incident, said the police are working on her release. (NAN)

  • The world of a customs officer

    The woman in this picture (right) looks odd. Why? She is dressed in the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) uniform, but wearing a pair of slippers.

    She was seen at a Customs formation in Lagos, walking around, unmindful of the kind of Customs’ image she is portraying.

    It was learnt that many Customs officials dress in a similar manner.

    But, a top Customs officer, who does not want his name in print, said this should not be the case.  The Customs Headquarters, he said, gave free uniforms and shoes to officers last year.

    An investigation by The Nation in some of the Customs commands in Lagos and Ogun states revealed that some junior and senior Customs officers have stopped putting on the official black leather shoes in preference for slippers, despite the good welfare scheme for them, including incentives by the Comptroller-General.

    In most of these commands, some women dress like pupils.

    A young officer said: “Despite the efforts of the Comptroller-General to instil attitudinal change in our officers and men, some of the Area Controllers have no time to instil discipline in some of the officers and men that were posted to work with them.’’

    A visit by The Nation to some of the commands in Lagos and Ogun states revealed that there was no evidence that the affected officials were working under unfavourable condition.

    Despite this, most of them look casual in their dressings as if they were in their homes.

    Findings revealed that in Cotonou,  Togo and Ghana, Customs officials do not dress shabbily like their Nigerian counterparts.

    The poor dressing has become of serious concern to operators, stakeholders, importers and other port users. Some stakeholders have deplored the development

    An importer, who pleaded anonymity, said it would appear some senior and junior Customs officers, find it more comfortable to use bathroom slippers.

    Investigation by The Nation at most of the commands in Lagos and its environs revealed the bad habit is common.

    Apart from the Federal Operation Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’ Ikeja and Apapa, the situation is almost the same at Tin-Can, Agbara, Seme, Idiroko and Abeokuta.

    At FOU Ikeja, source said there is discipline section for any officer or men that violates the dress code and that is why its officers and men are well dressed.

    Importers complained that the  the badly dressed Customs officials are preventing them from recognising the fake ones at night.

    The refusal of some terminal operators to allow some Customs officials from entering their terminals was attributed to their bad dressing.

    The operators complained that apart from Mondays when they resume for work and Tuesdays when they go for parades, some old women officials find it difficult to dress properly.

    One of sthe clearing agents, who work in Lagos and does not want his name in print said: “One of the first things you notice when you visit some of the commands is the socially and officially unacceptable manner they turn their uniform.

    “The most annoying aspect of it is that what they put on are bathroom slippers. Bathroom slippers are what are; slippers are used in the bathroom and not in the office. These little plastic slippers are for people to change into when they go inside the bathroom. This is supposed to keep the bathroom mess; well, in the bathroom and not to be brought to the office.

    “Imagine this. When you enter a Customs command and you see some of them wearing a pair of their bathroom slippers and they started moving from one office to another and nobody, including their colleagues; seniors and the area controller can call them to order deserves public attention.’’

  • Mob kills Customs officer at Lagos border

    Two Customs officers were yesterday reportedly lynched at the Lagos-Seme border by angry youths over the death of a motorist identified as Saturday. But the Customs confirmed one officer dead.

    Saturday was said to have been shot dead by a Customs officer around Operation Two Area while attempting to smuggle rice into Benin Republic.

    His death angered onlookers who moblised stormed the Customs post at the border. They claimed that two others had earlier been shot dead by the Customs.

    The mob was said to have burnt a Customs’ patrol vehicle.

    The yet-to-be-identified officers, it was learnt, were heading for work. The mob also burnt their car.

    An argument, it was said, ensued between Saturday and the unidentified officer who reportedly killed him.

    It took the intervention of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Seme, Mohammed Mu’Azu, and the border patrol unit of the Nigerian Army, to restore normalcy.

    Customs sources confirmed that Saturday was shot because he attempted to escape after he was caught, adding: “He did not die, he was injured and he is currently receiving treatment.”

    A source debunked the allegation by the residents that the officers shoot indiscriminately and attack them at will.

    Customs’ spokesperson Ernest Olottah said their men were attacked because they had conscientiously tackled smuggling at the border.

    In a statement made available to The Nation, he said: “It is with heavy and sorrowful heart that the Seme Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) announces the gruesome killing of one of our senior officers by some smugglers in the Ashipa area of Seme on Thursday August 29 (yesterday).

    “The deceased officer, while in his official uniform, unarmed and driving to the command’s headquarters for a routine meeting, was accosted by a mob, which forced him out of his vehicle. Buoyed by an identified chief of the community, the officer was murdered in cold blood and his vehicle set ablaze.

    “It is worthy of note that the intensification of our anti-smuggling operation, which has led to over 686 seizures since January, has placed us in the danger of attacks like this from criminals. These criminals are those being prevented from using the border for the anti-economic and other nefarious activities. Our operatives, owing to their uncompromising stance against smuggling and protecting the nation’s economy, have come under series of attacks by smugglers and some unpatriotic elements, who see smuggling as their right.”

    Olottah added: “Attempts made at disarming some of our operatives in the recent past were rebuffed Comptroller Othman Abdu Saleh, Customs Area Controller of Seme Border, has in collaboration with sister government agencies including the police, commenced moves to bring the perpetrators of the heinous crime to book. But he has affirmed that this unfortunate incident will not deter operatives of the command under his watch from carrying out their lawful duties.”

  • Customs officer killed in Lagos

    A customs officer was killed by accidental discharge from the gun of a police officer at the Tin Can Island Port in Lagos yesterday. The incident, eye witnesses said, occured around noon at the second gate of the port.

    According to a source from the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the deceased, Mr O. A Oro, who was attached to the Federal Operation Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’ Ikeja, was at the port to escort containers to bonded terminals when he was hit by bullets from the gun of the officer identified as Sergeant Peter Adegbesan from MOPOL Squadron 22, Ikeja.

    The gun was said to have dropped and discharged itself, with the bullets hitting Oro. He was said to have died instantly.

    Adegbesan, sources said, was recruited on April, 1, 1999.

    Some clearing agents and other port workers said Adegbesan attempted to flee after the incident. He was over-powered by a crowd.

    A clearing agent, Sunday Ayeni, said: “This morning, between 11 am and 12 noon, a police officer was telling everybody to move back; while doing that, his gun dropped on the ground and started firing sporadically. As he attempted to pick it up, about six or seven bullets hit the Customs officer and he died on the spot.

    “Realising what had happened, the police officer attempted to run away, but the crowd pounced on him. Some wanted to kill him but the labour officials at the port saved his life before he was arrested by Customs men and taken to Apapa Port Police Station.”

    The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Customs at Tin-Can, Mr Chris Osunkwo, who confirmed the story, described the deceased as a diligent officer. He urged security agents to find better means of controlling crowd than using live ammunition.

    He said the officer had been arrested and handed over to the police for proper investigation, adding:”This is a very unfortunate incident. You can imagine a man waking up in the morning, telling his wife and children that he would soon be back and that turned his farewell message to his promising family. Why must somebody use AK47 while preventing crowd movement? This is a big lesson to all of us,” Osunkwo said.

    When The Nation visited the Tin-Can Island Command of the Customs, a police officer said the Deputy Commissioner (DCP) in charge of the ports had gone to condole with the NCS.

  • Customs officer kills colleague in error

    Customs officer kills colleague in error

    Deputy Superintendent of Customs have been arrested for allegedly killing another Customs officer during an argument while chasing suspected smugglers along Seme-Badagry Expressway.

    The suspect, DSC Oseni Musa Tunde attached to the Federal Operations Zone ‘A’ Ikeja, was said to have led a patrol team comprising eight other officers when the incident occurred at 7:32am on Saturday.

    Tunde allegedly shot one of the officers in the patrol team, Baba Mohammed, an Assistant Superintendent (ASC II).

    Sources disclosed that the team received information that suspected smugglers were at Celenizar Bus Stop.

    The team moved to the place and intercepted two vehicles, a Mercedes Benz Fakar bus and a Passat car, loaded with items suspected to be contranband goods.

    It was gathered a disagreement ensued between the officers, during which Tunde allegedly shot Mohammed, who reportedly died on the spot.

    Spokesman to the Federal Operations Unit, Uche Ejesieme, confirmed the incident, which he said was an “accidental discharge.”

    He said: “In their attempt to apprehend the suspects alongside the goods, there was stiff resistance by the suspects which degenerated into a struggle between the officers and the smugglers.

    “In the ensuing confusion, a Service pistol in the possession of DSC Oseni Musa Tunde, the team leader, accidentally discharged and hit one of the officers in the team, an Assistant Superintendent of Customs.

    “The officer was immediately rushed to Igando General Hospital where the Doctor on duty confirmed him dead”, Ejesieme explained in a statement.

    He said the exhibits have been transferred to FOU, Zone ‘A’ Ikeja and Tunde has been handed over to the Police.