Police arrest two Customs Officers over driver’s death in Osun

Two officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) have been taken into custody by the police over the killing of a driver in Osogbo, Osun State.

The incident was said to have occurred on Sunday around the Dada Estate area of the state capital while customs officers were reportedly chasing vehicles suspected to be imported used cars.

In a statement, the spokesperson of the Osun State Police Command, Abiodun Ojelabi, disclosed that the officers, Kolawole Suuti and Danjuma Samuel, were arrested and are currently being detained by the police.

According to Ojelabi, the customs operatives were in pursuit of suspected ‘Tokunbo’ vehicles when the fatal incident happened.

‘Tokunbo’ in this context is Nigerian parlance for used cars meant for sale.

“Following the report, police operatives swiftly responded and apprehended the two officers,” the statement reads.

“Meanwhile, the driver of the said ash-coloured Toyota Corolla, one of the vehicles being chased by the Customs, was shot and confirmed dead by a medical doctor at the Osun State University Teaching Hospital.”

Ojelabi further stated that the body of the yet-to-be-identified victim has been deposited in a morgue.

He noted that items recovered from the scene include a Beretta pistol with breech number 125024, 11 rounds of 9mm live ammunition, an expanded 9mm shell, and two vehicles a white Toyota Corolla with Lagos registration number AAA 400 GQ and an ash-coloured Toyota Corolla with registration number GFQ 0982.

The police spokesperson also revealed that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Ibrahim Gotan, has directed a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting.

“The suspects are currently in police custody. The Commissioner of Police, Osun State Command, CP Ibrahim Gotan, has ordered a thorough investigation to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident,” he added.

He assured the public that anyone found responsible would be prosecuted according to the law and encouraged residents to share useful information that could assist the investigation.