Senate Probes Customs Over Firearms Abuse

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The Senate yesterday constituted an adhoc committee to investigate the indiscriminate use of firearms by operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

The upper chamber lamented that the development had resulted in killings of Nigerians in land borders and check points across the country. 

Senate’s resolution followed the consideration and adoption of a motion at plenary sponsored by Senator Abdulazize Yar’adua (APC-Kastina Central).

The motion was titled” Urgent Need to Investigate the Abuse of firearms by Officers of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in Kastina State.”

The committee, which has Senator Francis Fadahunsi (PDP-Osun) as Chairman, has six weeks to present report of its findings to the Senate.

Other members of the committee include Senators Shuaibu Lau (PDP-Taraba); Kawu Sumaila (NNPP- Kano), Tony Nwoye (LP Anambra), Umar Sadiq, (APC-Kwara) Akpan Samson, (PDP-Akwa-Ibom) and Senator Solomon Adeola,(APC-Ogun).

Others are Senators Abdulaziz Yar’adua (APC-Katsina), Olajide Emmanuel (APC-Ondo), Mohammed Muntari (APC-Katsina) and Napoleon Bali (PDP- Plateau)

Yar’adua had in his lead debate said that it remained a fact that officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) were  authorised to carry firearms  while discharging their duties.

This, he said  was  aimed at assisting the service to effectively counter activities of smugglers, who have recently become emboldened in their attack on customs personnel in many cases using sophisticated weapons.

He, however, expressed worry that some officers of the NCS, who should be civil and professional in their engagements and handling of firearms, have had a series of shootings of innocent citizens.

According to him, on August 14, 2021, the former Governor of Katsina State, Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, threatened to sue the NCS over the killing of residents during border drills in the state.

He said that during same period, the House of Representatives invited the former Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hamid Ali (rtd), to appear before it to explain the circumstances leading to the unfortunate incident.

He said that given the recurring killings of innocent people by customs operatives in Katsina, the House of Representatives on February 3, 2022, ordered the NCS to pay N390 million as compensation to families of 10 victims that were killed and 13 others injured in Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State.

Yar’adua said: “On July 13, the Chief of Staff to the Katsina State Governor, Mr. Jabiru Tsauri, had a narrow escape from a harrowing assault from NCS officials.

“Officers of the NCS at a location near Gorar Yammama highway shot indiscriminately at the vehicle conveying the Chief of Staff to the governor with other aides and close family members.”

He expressed concerned that officials of the NCS were yet to apprehend or arrest the erring officers or bring them to book for the unfortunate incident.

Yar’adua added that in Sept 2021, personnel of the NCS shot at the convoy of former Katsina State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy, Mr. Umar Gwajo-Gwajo, while driving from Daura to Mia’adua Local Government Area of Katsina State.

He expressed worry that the inability to checkmate the recurring abuse of firearms by officers of the NCS, might led to loss of innocent lives and possibly reprisal attacks by angered civilians.

Contributing, Senators Ahmed Lawan, Solomon Adeola, Abdulaziz Yari among others commended the sponsor for the motion and decried the alleged killings of Nigerians by the NCS.

Adeola, who said that part of his constituents were resident in the border communities of Ogun State, decried the killings.

He said that the Senate must take the matter seriously, saying that the killings had become recurring.

 Fadahunsi, who chaired the adhoc panel, said that the NCS in the last seven years has been militarised.

He urged the new administration to begin the de-militarisation of the NCS.

He said his committee during the 8th Senate had raised the matter of militarization of NCS officers, saying that their compliant was not considered.

The Senate also condemned the indiscriminate shooting by officers of the NCS on July 13 in Katsina State.

It urged the NCS to fish out the erring officers and investigate the incident that led to the custom operatives to open fire on unarmed civilians.

It urged the NCS to improve on the training of its personnel in handling of firearms, especially fire discipline when dealing with Nigerian citizens.

The President of Senate, Senator Godswill Akpiabio, in his remark, said that the Senate must look at the issue holistically, given the submissions of lawmakers on the motion.

He said the contributions by senators revealed that people have been shot at different times, hence the need to holistically investigate the matter.