Customs Officers’ Invasion of VIO Office

The officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) last week joined other armed security and law-enforcement agencies that attack sister agencies over traffic-related disputes by invading Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) at their AYA Roundabout office in Abuja.

It is a common knowledge that VIOs do not carry arms.

In Nigeria, soldiers attack and kill policemen over disputes arising from traffic control.

Nigerian soldiers and policemen also clash with other agencies involved in control of traffic on the roads without any consequences.

In all these confrontations, agencies that do not carry arms remain helpless in this shameful display of acts of lawlessness and impunity by those who are paid and armed to maintain law and order.

Apparently due to the failure of successive administrations to bring the heads of these agencies to book for the shameful conduct of their officers and men, armed NCS personnel on Friday, May 24, invaded the VIO office in Abuja and attacked the personnel of the agency, with gunshots audible in the background.

It took the viral video of the shameful conduct of the customs officers to go viral four days later before the NCS issued a statement, condemning its officers involved in the ignoble act.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by the National Public Relations Officer of NCS and a Chief Superintendent of Customs, Abdullahi Maiwada, the NCS promised that disciplinary measures would be taken against the officers involved in this regrettable incident who were NCS personnel attached to the Customs Mechanical Unit in Karu Barracks, Abuja.

“The Service wishes to express its deepest concern and empathy for those affected by this regrettable incident. Furthermore, the NCS unequivocally dissociates itself from the actions of these officers.

“Their condemned behaviour, which appears to be self-motivated, is under thorough investigation, and appropriate disciplinary measures will be taken to forestall future occurrences,” the statement added.

While the assurances by the NCS were heartwarming, it is expected that the agency would make public the disciplinary measures to prevent future occurrences as promised.

The administration of President Bola Tinubu should also ensure that heads of security and law-enforcement agencies whose officers and men are involved in acts of lawlessness against civilians and sister agencies are sanctioned to bring these shameful conducts to an end.