A trigger-happy customs officer has killed a driver at Seme border area of Lagos and injured two others.
The deceased, identified as Friday Poku, was shot in his red
Volkswagen Jetta car marked GGE 81 AH along other occupants of the
vehicle on Tuesday.
The incident occurred barely three months after a similar one happened in which a middle aged man was killed in the area.
The incident sparked off protest as angry youths set fire on the road thereby preventing motorists’ access to the border.
Many custom officers fled for fear of being attacked by the angry youths.
An eye witness, who did not want his name mentioned, said: Poku was flagged down by the customs officers at a check point at Gbetrome area of the border.
“Though no one knew what transpired between the deceased and the customs officers, everyone was shocked when one of the officers pulled out a pistol and fired the victim twice at close range.
“The victim, who had earlier alighted from the vehicle, slumped and died on the spot, while his friends, who attempted to apprehend the triggerhappy officer were injured as his colleagues fired at them.
“Nobody knew what transpired between the victims and the custom officers. All we saw was that one of the officers pulled out his pistol and fired twice at the deceased.
“The team fled the area when they saw the victim had slumped in a pool of his blood. They ran away in different directions and abandoned the victim by the roadside.”
The angry youths, however, headed toward the customs barracks not too far from the border post.
They barricaded the major road and chanted war songs. It took the prompt intervention of the police to return normalcy to the area.
The body of the deceased was taken away by the protesting youths, demanding that the killer customs officer should be handed over to them for peace to reign.
Vowing to stop what they described as an unprovoked attack on villagers by customs officers, the protesters shattered the glasses of a police patrol van.
A youth leader, who identified himself as Dosu, said they would prevent attempts to sweep the killing under the carpet.
He said: “Enough is enough of this wanton killing. We want the controller to hand over the killer to the police to investigate the matter.
“Why is it that the officers involved in the incident have not gone to make statement at the station since the matter is homicide?
“Why is it that the vehicle belonging to the deceased was taken away by customs and not the police? This is to afford the customs the opportunity to conceal vital evidence that might unravel the situation that led to the death.”
A police report claimed that Poku was killed by some customs men at Gbetrome area of Seme.
The Custom Public Relations Officer (PRO), Seme Command, Ernest Ollotah, however, said the controller had set up a panel to investigate the matter.
He said he was not aware of any killing, but that the command was investigating a case of an attempt to disarm some customs officers by smugglers who fled the area after they were repelled by security men.
Ollotah said: “I am not aware of any killing, but we are investigating an attempt to disarm some of our men by smugglers. However, we will make the outcome of the investigations known to the public.”
The incident occurred barely three months after a similar one happened in which a middle aged man was killed in the area.
The incident sparked off protest as angry youths set fire on the road thereby preventing motorists’ access to the border.
Many custom officers fled for fear of being attacked by the angry youths.
An eye witness, who did not want his name mentioned, said: Poku was flagged down by the customs officers at a check point at Gbetrome area of the border.
“Though no one knew what transpired between the deceased and the customs officers, everyone was shocked when one of the officers pulled out a pistol and fired the victim twice at close range.
“The victim, who had earlier alighted from the vehicle, slumped and died on the spot, while his friends, who attempted to apprehend the triggerhappy officer were injured as his colleagues fired at them.
“Nobody knew what transpired between the victims and the custom officers. All we saw was that one of the officers pulled out his pistol and fired twice at the deceased.
“The team fled the area when they saw the victim had slumped in a pool of his blood. They ran away in different directions and abandoned the victim by the roadside.”
The angry youths, however, headed toward the customs barracks not too far from the border post.
They barricaded the major road and chanted war songs. It took the prompt intervention of the police to return normalcy to the area.
The body of the deceased was taken away by the protesting youths, demanding that the killer customs officer should be handed over to them for peace to reign.
Vowing to stop what they described as an unprovoked attack on villagers by customs officers, the protesters shattered the glasses of a police patrol van.
A youth leader, who identified himself as Dosu, said they would prevent attempts to sweep the killing under the carpet.
He said: “Enough is enough of this wanton killing. We want the controller to hand over the killer to the police to investigate the matter.
“Why is it that the officers involved in the incident have not gone to make statement at the station since the matter is homicide?
“Why is it that the vehicle belonging to the deceased was taken away by customs and not the police? This is to afford the customs the opportunity to conceal vital evidence that might unravel the situation that led to the death.”
A police report claimed that Poku was killed by some customs men at Gbetrome area of Seme.
The Custom Public Relations Officer (PRO), Seme Command, Ernest Ollotah, however, said the controller had set up a panel to investigate the matter.
He said he was not aware of any killing, but that the command was investigating a case of an attempt to disarm some customs officers by smugglers who fled the area after they were repelled by security men.
Ollotah said: “I am not aware of any killing, but we are investigating an attempt to disarm some of our men by smugglers. However, we will make the outcome of the investigations known to the public.”
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