Nigerian Customs ‘accidentally’ kill association chairman in Ogun

A middle-aged man, Idowu Moses, who was hit by stray bullets fired by men of the Nigerian Customs Service in Oja-Odan in the Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State, has died.

Moses was until his death the Chairman of the Nigerian Association of Panel Beaters, Oja Odan branch.

Moses, a panel beater, sustained a gunshot injury while the Customs men were chasing smugglers on Saturday.

A relation of the deceased, Olatunji Olaniran, told Punch that Moses died on Saturday night at the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, where he was taken to for medical attention.

According to Olaniran, Moses and one other were working in their workshop when they were hit by stray bullets fired by men of the Ogun State Command of the NCS, while they were chasing smugglers on Saturday.

Olatunji said the deceased, who was the only surviving son of his aged mother, was immediately rushed to a private hospital in Oja Odan from where he was transferred to FMC, Abeokuta, where he died.

According to an eyewitness, Moses was in his shop with another artisan when the bullets allegedly fired by Customs officers identified as Jalo and Abdulahi, who led the operation, hit them.

The source said, “Moses was in the shop with another victim whose identity could not be ascertained before the stray bullets hit them.

Reacting to the incident, a member of the State House of Assembly, Wahab Egungbohun, described Atanda’s death as unfortunate and needless.