Customs defends officer, says ‘shooting is accidental discharge’ as they release official statement on viral video

It was earlier reported that the deceased who recently returned from abroad was said to be coming from Lagos with other passengers when the officers stopped the vehicle and demanded a N5,000 bribe.

In the ensuing altercation, one of the officers shot the passenger, a development that infuriated other passengers (Read here).

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Customs has denied its personnel deliberately shot dead the man.

In a statement on Sunday, Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, DC Joseph Attah, confirmed the incident which he said occurred today, Sunday at the “Sagamu Interchange, along Ijebu Ode.”

Mr. Attah said the dead man was not a passenger of one of the vehicles packed for search but a friend of the officers who usually fetches water for them.

He said the man was accidentally shot dead by one of the officers when the skirmish was on.

Read the full statement below:

“The attention of the Nigeria Customs Service has been drawn to a disturbing video going viral with conflicting narratives.

While it is painful and totally unnecessary to lose lives in anti-smuggling operations, today at Sagamu 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 ASC 1, Destiny Onebanho.

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

Preliminary findings indicate that it was during the skirmishes and struggle to disarm the officer that the rifle discharged and the friend of the Customs (Godwin) who lost his life.

“The Service is already in touch with bereaved family.

Sadly, it should be noted that while attention shifted to the dead and the wounded, the passengers who filmed with incited commentary boarded their vehicle and left, leaving the wrong impression that it was one of them that was killed.

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

DC Joseph Attah
Public Relations Officer
For: Comptroller-General of Customs”

Watch video below.

 

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The incident happened along Lagos Express way. It was gathered that they stopped a vehicle conveying some people coming from abroad and they demanded N5,000 bribe from them. Another man was also reportedly stopped by the Customs official on his way to the Eastern part of the country and he was charged to pay almost N300,000 for a custom charge for his car which he refused and complained that it is too much.

A post shared by Within Nigeria (@withinnigeria) on Feb 17, 2019 at 6:05am PST

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