BY OUR CORRESPONDENT
The House of Representatives have condenmed the incessant killings of citizens and residents of Egbado South/Ipokia Federal Constituency of Ogun State by Customs officers.
The House also sought for investigation and prosecution of the officers involvedd in the barbaric acts by the relevant government organizations.
THe House’s resolution was sequel to a motion by Hon. Kolawole Lawal, Chairman, House Committee on Ethics and Privileges.
Read the motion below:
Incessant Killing by the Nigeria Customs Service in Egbado South/Ipokia Federal Constituency of Ogun State:
The House: Notes that Egbado South/Ipokia Federal Constituency is a border Community of Ogun State in need of enhanced security as the protection of lives and properties is the primary responsibility of government;
Aware that Monday, October 7, 2019, men of the Nigeria Customs Service ran into some students of Ojumo Community High School, Ihunbo in Ipokia Local Government area of Ogun State who were returning from school, killed three students and injured many others with their vehicle;
Also aware that on 1 May, 2020, Ridwan Bello, an SS2 Student of Area Community High School in OwodeYewa was killed by a stray bullet and another killing by the men of NCS was recorded on 28 March, 2020 when a stray bullet hit 15-year-old Miss Sekinat Agbelade, an SS3 Student of Agosasa High School; Concerned that in the past few months, Egbado South/Ipokia have been subjected to psychological trauma due to incessant killings of law-abiding citizens by men of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in the guise of clamping down on smugglers;
Also concerned that the incessant and sporadic shootings by men of the Nigeria Customs Services (NCS) have resulted in the death of several students and varying degrees of injury to many constituents of Egbado South/Ipokia;
Informed that men of the NCS claimed that the accidental killings occurred in the course of discharging their duties while pursuing smugglers, which ended in the death of innocent people while the suspects escaped unharmed leaving the families of the deceased and the communities in deep grief for the irreparable loss of their loved ones;
Disturbed that in spite of appeals to the leadership of the Nigerian Customs Service in Idiroko and an ongoing petition which is currently before the House of Representatives, the NCS personnel have continued to act in a wanton manner;
Worried that the recklessness and lack of respect for human lives being exhibited by men of the Nigeria Customs Service in the discharge of their duties have resulted in the death of the following people, among others: (a) (b) (c) (d) Mrs. Fausat Bankole, an innocent Nigerian, a widow, and mother of three was killed at Ilashe in Ipokia Local Government on 21 June 2017;
Mr. Paul Ayomaya Oriyomi, who was an undergraduate, was killed by Customs officers in the Ajilete area of Egbado South Local Government on the 22 October 2017 while returning home from church; Mr. Niyi Adesanmi, a young Law graduate was also killed by the officers of Nigeria Customs Service at Aseko area of Ipokia Local Government on the 10 May, 2018; Mr Jamiu Bello and one other person were killed by men of the Nigeria Customs in Owode area of Egbado South Local Government on the 3rd of January, 2019;
Resolves to: (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) 7. Observe a minute of silence in memory of all the victims of unlawful killings by men of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS); urge the Federal Government to ensure that the officers who were complicit and indicted in the incidents are prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to other Officers;
Also urge the Federal Government to ensure that the families of all the deceased, as well as the injured ones at the scene of the Ihunbo incident where three students were killed, are given adequate financial compensation;
Mandate the Committee on Customs and Excise to liaise with the Nigeria Customs Service to ensure that officers of NCS are trained and retrained to avoid killing of innocent people and maintain professionalism in the discharge of their duty.