The Lagos State Police Command has
commenced investigations into the murder of a 30-year-old car dealer, Uririnke
Onojorhoevwo, who was allegedly killed by officials of the Nigerian Customs
Service in Iyana Ipaja area of the state.
According to the police, the Delta
State indigene was shot to death on June 16, 2013, after being pursued by
customs men attached to the Federal Operation Unit.
Some policemen attached to Gowon
Police Division, who witnessed the incident, said after the killing, the
customs men fled.
A policeman, who craved anonymity,
said, “On June 16, around 5am, we saw customs men in a Toyota Hilux van with
registration number, CS307A01, chasing a white unregistered Audi Station wagon.
The customs men shot the tyre of the vehicle and also shot its driver.
“The driver, who was bleeding
profusely, came out of the vehicle and attempted to run. One of the customs men
alighted from the Hilux, moved close to the car dealer, and shot him again.
They did not touch the corpse but entered into their vehicle and fled immediately.”
The police source told PUNCH Metro that policemen later recovered the
corpse and took it to the station.
When asked if the deceased was a
smuggler, the policeman said there was no evidence to prove that he was.
He said, “After the killing, we began
preliminary investigation. We thought he was a smuggler but we decided to
search the vehicle. We discovered that all the relevant documents were intact
including the customs duty.
“We also deduced that the deceased
was driving from Idi-Iroko border and was heading towards Lagos.”
Our correspondent learnt that the
matter had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department,
Yaba, for further investigation.
A source at the Homicide Department
at the SCID, told our correspondent that all attempts to get information from
the NCS proved abortive as it did not respond to a letter written to it.
The source said, “We wrote a letter
to customs two weeks ago. We even made telephone calls to their administration
department, but they have not been forthcoming.”
The elder brother of the deceased,
Bakapo Onojorhoevwo, told PUNCH
Metro that the deceased sold
vehicles for a living.
He said the deceased was based in
Port Harcourt, Rivers State and was probably heading towards there when he was
killed.
He said he was pained that his
brother was not married and had no children. He said the family would
like to know what transpired.
He said, “Around 7.30am on that very
day, I called my brother’s telephone but a policeman picked it up and told me
that my brother was involved in an accident and I should come to Mainland
Medical Centre, Yaba. I went there with my younger sister and we were told that
my brother had been killed by customs men.
“His corpse is still there and we are
waiting for autopsy. My brother has been dealing in cars for the past four
years. We do not know what actually happened so we want the customs to explain
to us.”
When contacted on the telephone,
Public Relations Officer, Federal Operations Unit, Zone A of the NCS, Mr. Uche
Ejesieme, said investigations were ongoing.
A text message he sent to our
correspondent read, “We are on top of the situation. Necessary and appropriate
steps will be taken in due course.”
Tags
Society
The activities of the Nigeria federal operation units of the customs is becoming worisome,they have no business on the Nigerian road,I think the presidency shd look into this,how can a senior officer in the port carry out all the neccesary checks & subsiquent release of a consignment from the port & anoda officer will remain on the road waiting to clamp on the same consignment there by causing traffic & endangering pples life leaving the borders @ the mercy of smuglers who bring in all sorts to the country.may his soul R I P
ReplyDeleteThis is a youngman that is wedding is coming up in a very short time, the customs just killed him. Rip my uk. My God will fight for you
ReplyDeleteBoth police and customs are crimianls may GOD vanish the bastards one away! Curruption continue! They won't do the righr job. Thurs. To spy on ur life for the course of money . I remembered when coming from cotonue upon all my document and duty . The fucking customs still asking me 1000naira and the follish police man stopped me too at the other side. Asking bullshit question asking for 100 naira
DeleteThis is so unfair,just three weeks back a pregnant woman was killed by men of nigeria customs around ihunbo area of ogun state,she wasn't buying nor selling.Today is a young vibrant man they decided to kill in Lagos,The presidency and Dikko have deviced another means of systematical killing of innocent people,d curplits should b brought to book.Enough is enough.This senseless killings by Men of Nigeria Customs has to stop.The Inspector general of Police should get into action immediately.
ReplyDeleteI have said dis before dat d federal govt should legalise d carrriage guns by evry individuals,may be dat will stop all these intimidation by dis so called security agents.blood suckers
ReplyDeleteThis youngman will b burial tomorrow @ his home town in delta state (sapele).... May his soul RIP....UK the customs that killed u will kwn no peace IJN
ReplyDeleteAmen
DeleteMay his soul rest in peace.
ReplyDelete