The Senate has constituted an adhoc committee to investigate on how members of the Nigerian Custom Service execute their operations especially sight and shoot.
This was the resolution of the Senate shortly after Senator Abdulazuz ‘Yar’adua presented a motion for an urgent need to investigate indiscriminate shooting and killing of Nigerians by some members of the Nigeria Custom Service in the name of counter attack against smugglers.
Presenting the motion, Senator Abdulaziz ‘Yar’adua who came under senate standing rule said the law has authorized the Custom to use fire arm in their operation to counter activities of smugglers in cases of any attempt to deprive them from carrying out their operations.
However, ‘Yaradua expressed serious concern over indiscriminate shooting on unarmed civilians sighting examples of what happened in 2021 when the then Governor of Katsina state, Aminu Bello Masari had to threatened to sue the Nigerian Custom over the killing of civilians during their border drills in Katsina state.
Recalled that the House of Representatives sometime in 2022 invited the Comptroller General, Colonel Hamid Ali to answer questions on the circumstances leading to that incidence and ordered to pay three hundred million as compensation of killing innocent lives of ten people in Jibya Katsina state.
He further explained that the indiscriminate attack by Custom officers on the convoy of former Katsina state deputy Governor and Commissioner of local Government and chieftaincy affairs but up till today no one has been apprehended or punished.
Most of the Senators who contributed such as Senator Abdulazuz Yari who narrated that most of their supporters in villages bordering Katsina were said to be killed by Custom for a simple reason of bringing rice into the country.
Also, former Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, Senator Adamu Alleiro in supporting the motion commended the Custom officers for doing their best.
Senator Ahmed Lawan opined that the investigation shall cut across all other paramilitary agencies so that indiscriminate use of fire arms be minimized or completely stopped adding that the officers should be given adequate training in handling weapons while relating to civilians.
The motion further urged the Nigerian Custom Service to redouble efforts in given their officers required training and handling of firearms going by their nature of handling with citizens who are not in possession of any weapons.
Bashir Mayere
