Customs CG, Hameed Ali
There are indications that the Nigerian Customs Service(NCS) may be sued over the accidental killing, in an auto crash, of eight people in Jibia Local Government, by its operatives, if it fails to compensate the family of the deceased as well as prosecute the offenders.
It will be recalled that operatives of the NCS driving in pursuit of suspected smugglers in Jibia Local Government, on Aug 9, 2021, lost control and killed about eight persons and injured 14 others.
The threat was issued , when Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State received at the Government House Chamber in Katsina, the customs’ special Committee investigating the killing, led by The Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘B’ Kaduna, Assistant Controller General (ACG), Mohammed Uba.
He tasked the Customs Service to punish its operatives who crushed the eight residents to death and to compensate their relatives or be ready to face legal consequences.
”You must pay compensation to the affected people and also prosecute the driver and other officers involved in the incident, if not we are taking legal action on this issue.
”These operations of the Customs Border Drills who committed the offence are not conducted in accordance with the rules and regulations guiding them’’,he had said, urging the operatives to apply intelligence in discharging their duties so as to avoid further loss of lives.
Masari expressed his bitterness on the poor conduct of the customs Border Drill in the state, especially with the way and manner he alleged they have been maltreating the Jibia community, saying over 28 checkpoints stationed on the 40- kilometre road have been converted to toll gates by the operatives.
Uba, while condoling on behalf of the Customs however described the death of the eight people as unfortunate ,adding that as a government agency, the NCS is not unmindful of its paramilitary responsibility, which is essentially to protect lives.
He said that as part of the visit, the Controller-General, Col. Hameed Ali(rtd) has mandated the Committee to interact with communities, leaders, the bereaved families and the victims of the accident with a view to reporting the findings.
The ACG appreciated the cooperation of the Government and the good people of Katsina State and other sister security agencies in the spirit of interdepartmental cooperation.
