Killing: Customs officer’ll face trial

Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, has promised to hand over one of its officers who allegedly shot and killed an occupant of a passenger cab at a checkpoint in Ilashe area of Ogun State to the police for prosecution.

The Customs officer, whose identity was not disclosed to forestall attack from the angry mob, was said to have acted contrary to the instruction of his superior.

Speaking with journalists at his Idiroko office at the weekend, the state Comptroller of Customs, Ade Dosumu, promised to take steps to prevent future reckless use of weapons.

Dosumu spoke against the backdrop of violent protest staged by the people of Idiroko and Ilashe communities over the killing of a 45-yearold firewood seller and mother of five, Fausat Oyede.

The protest also spread to the entire area of Idiroko border where properties and several vehicles belonging to Customs officers and other people were destroyed.

But Dosumu said the officer responsible for Oyede’s death had been identified and would be handed over to the police for prosecution.

The comptroller said there was no challenge to the officer to warrant such reckless use of firearm as he did.

He said the NCS would hand over the suspect to the homicide department of the police because the officer acted in defiance to his order.

Dosumu also said the officer was apprehended and detained after which an orderly room trial, headed by the Deputy Comptroller in charge of enforcement, was constituted on the matter.

He said: “There was no challenge at all for the accused as at the time he fired and killed the deceased.”

“We want to believe that it is not within the purview of the powers of the NCS to investigate a homicide case, that is why we are transferring him to the police for proper investigation after which we will then determine the level of culpability and we will have to call for appropriate sanction against him.

“Their findings are not conclusive but for administrative reasons. We are therefore, transferring the case for further investigation to the police.

“The vehicle has been sent to the police and right now, the accused is also here and he is going to be handed over to the Divisional Crime Officer, DCO, of the Idiroko Divisional Police Headquarters for onward transfer to the state CID.”