Pandemonium in Ogun as Customs gun down man over N5000 bribe

Temitope Adebayo

There was chaos in Shagamu area of Ogun State on Sunday when bullets from the rifle of an alleged Customs officer, ASC1 Destiny Onebamho, killed one Godwin (unconfirmed) during an argument between Customs officers and passengers of a bus over checking of some suspicious items in the Hiace bus. In a video that went viral on social media on Sunday, the young man was lying lifeless in a pool of blood while passengers of the Hiace bus were seen manhandling a Customs officer, accusing him of killing the young man over his refusal to part with N5000. In the video, the passengers of the Hiace bus were seen claiming that the deceased was on the bus with them from Lagos. In a swift response to the incident, the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) spokesman, DC Joseph Attah, stated that the deceased was not a passenger of the bus but a friend of the Service. The Customs National spokesman said: “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 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 indicates that it was during the skirmishes and struggle to disarm the Customs officer by the occupants of the bus that the rifle discharged and hit the friend of the Customs (Godwin) who lost his life. The Service is already in touch with the bereaved family. The statement added further that, “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.”