Comptroller Hussein Ejibunu announced discovery of murdered Customs officer’s lifeless body in Ogun River
By Uzor Odigbo
The lifeless body of one of the two customs officers murdered during an attack by some rice smugglers in Ogun State on Tuesday has been found in Ipaja River after an intensive search.
This was disclosed to journalists by Acting Controller of the Federal Operations Unit, Zone A Lagos, Hussein Ejibunu confirming end of the search for the officer who was earlier declared missing with one other operative murdered.
The recent discovery which brings killings of FOU A officers to three barely two months of assumption of office in Lagos by Ejibunu, has irked the service thereby forcing it to threaten lawfully stringent measures in containing murderous smugglers
The Acting Controller told journalists that efforts will be intensified to forestall killings of customs officers performing their legitimate duties and that his unit will never be cowed by persons who see smuggling of any kind as a right.
He said a Customs officer was earlier killed with a matchete at at Ado-Odo in an attempt i to effect seizure of 45 bags of rice being smuggled into the country from Benin Republic
He reminded residents of Ogun and environs that government’s policy on border closure in the state is still in force and that his men will always work to enforce the Federal Government directive.
Ejibunu while expressing sadness and calling on the National Assembly to be aware of the plight of customs officers, threatened that any further attempt at obstructing customs officers will be visited with the full weight of the law.
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“It is on a sad note that I make this presentation. On the 11th day of September, 2021, a gallant officer of the Federal Operations Unit, while performing his statutory functions, was matchetted to death after seizure of about 45 bags of rice was made.
” On October 16th, 2021, my officers were ambushed along Abeokuta-Shagamu interstate road after intercepting about 24 vehicles laden with foreign parboiled rice, 12 of which was intercepted and on their way to Lagos.
“On their way to Lagos, the officers were ambushed and shot at; two of them sustained injuries and are, at the moment, still recuperating from the incident. Eventually, my officers succeeded in arresting one of the suspects with four vehicles laden with rice.
“On the 26th of October, after this second attack, my officers were on patrol in Fagbohun village in Ogun State when they were ambushed again. Two of them were initially declared missing; We discovered the corpse of one of them the next day by the river while the second one was missing until this afternoon; his body was found dumped inside the river, and is on its way to the morgue.
“These unprovoked attacks are getting too much for me to bear. I am saying this for all Nigerians to hear, if this had been the other way around, the whole world would have been awash with cries of Customs officers killing this, killing that. But nobody is saying anything now.
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“I want to put it on record that these murdered officers are husbands, sons, fathers, uncles and breadwinners. A situation in which an officer performing his lawful duty is being killed criminally is not acceptable.
“These gallant officers paid the Supreme price, and I want it on authority and record now that our people should alert the authorities, most especially our leaders in the National Assembly; I want them to take note of this, because no life is worth more than another.
“It is not going to be business as usual, because the borders of Ogun are under lock and key. Smuggling is not a right, nor is it an activity that is supposed to be given to a generation. It is not acceptable to us, or to the nation, and it is alien to the constitution.
“We have the constitutional responsibility to ensure that the economy of the country moves further, and it is within our purview to ensure that whoever is found sabotaging the economy is duly prosecuted.
“In light of all the killings, we are not going to take it again, and I will not hesitate to invoke what the law gave us power to do. It is unfortunate at this trying period of the nation; a border that is not yet opened for business, they believe smuggling should thrive. We will not accept that.
“Just before coming here, a spokesperson to the state government put a call through to me, assuring me that they will assist us in getting the perpetrators. It was later confided that the Ogun State government is on the verge of banning the use of Okada, because that is the mode of smuggling now. It will be a welcome development.
“Let us hope that this will be the last time I will address such issues, and they will not hesitate to apply the rules of engagement. I am making it clear that when we continue to do our activities, I don’t want anybody blaming us, because it is evident now that we should strive to make sure we return alive.
It is against the law to obstruct an officer while on duty. And we are going to put that into practice, not only when we come under attack, but if there is any little infringement, you will be arrested and prosecuted as well.
“I read out the Riot Act, and I’m saying that enough is enough. I am saying it loud and clear, so that we won’t be blamed in case you see or hear of any fracas. That is exactly where I’m going. I see no reasons why there should be senseless killings, when nobody attacked them