By CUSTOMS REACTS TO VIDEO OF OFFICER KILLING PASSENGER ON BENIN-EXPRESSWAY, DENIES VIDEO’S ACCOUNT
Nigerian Customs Service, NCS has reacted to a viral video making the rounds on social media that a custom officer shot a civilian yesterday over N5,000 at the Benin Expressway.
In the video that trended, the voice of a passenger could be heard screaming and saying the victim was killed because of N5,000.
Breaking! Trigger Happy Custom Officer Kill Passenger Over ₦5,000 Bribe On Lagos-Benin Expressway
The federal agency however denied the reports that accompanied the viral video yesterday showing that one of its officers killed a passenger for refusing to offer the officer financial inducement.
In a statement made available to BlackBox Nigeria today, The Public Relations Officer of the agency, Mr Joseph Attah explained that the victim was not one of the passengers, but a friend to the Customs men from the neighbourhood and used to supply water to the Customs base on the road, adding that he happened to come around when there was an altercation between the passengers of the bus and the operatives.
According to him, the incident happened when the Customs operatives flagged down a passenger bus, adding that instead of the driver and the passengers to allow the operatives to conduct a routine check on the vehicle, they were cursing and calling them thieves.
He however described the incident as quite unfortunate, adding that the service had contacted the bereaved family, and the Customs personnel had been recalled to the office for further investigation.
The statement read:
“The attention of the Nigeria Customs Service has been drawn to a disturbing video going viral with conflicting narratives.”
“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 the Customs patrol men anytime they return to the base.”
“Preliminary findings indicate that it was during the skirmishes and struggle to disarm the officer that the riffle discharged and the bullet hit the friend of the Customs, who lost his life.”
“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 in intensive care at the hospital, the patrol team has been recalled to the office for further investigation.”
