Officials of the Nigeria Customs service, NCS, has reacted to the viral video where a customs officer shot and killed a man at Shagamu interchange along Ijebu Ode, saying the narratives online were “conflicting.”
The incident happened on Sunday, February 17.
In a statement by its spokesman Joseph Attah, the service said the deceased was not a passenger of any bus but “a friend” who helped officials to fetch water.
Attah said man identified as Godwin was shot accidentally adding that one of its officials identified as Destiny Onebamho was also injured and receiving treatment at a hospital.
He said the NCS was already investigating the incident and would get to the root of the issue.
The statement read: “The attention of Nigeria Customs Service has been drawn to a disturbing video going viral with conflicting narratives.
“While it is painful and totally unnecessary to lose 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.
“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.
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“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.
“While the wounded Officer is under intensive care at the hospital, the patrol team has been recalled to the office for further investigation.”
Videos where officials of the Nigeria Customs Service were accused of killing an unarmed civilian at Shagamu interchange along Lagos-Ibadan expressway, went viral on Sunday with different accounts of the incident.
In the video, several commuters were seen arguing with customs officials, with several other commuters from other vehicles watching.
The sound of gunshot caused some people at the scene to flee with some others repeatedly shouting that the customs officials have killed someone.
An official, who lifted the man’s hand and realised that it fell to the ground, tried to get back into the official van of the customs but people at the scene prevented him and his colleagues from leaving the scene.
Shouts of “Customs don kill person, make una help them, una no dey go today,” was heard in the background.
