Ogun Lawmaker Accuses Customs Officials For Riddling Her Car With Bullets While Protesting Killings Of Students

The lawmaker representing Ipokia/Idiroko State Constituency at the Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon Sikirat Ajibola, has accused men of the Nigeria Customs Service （NCS） of riddling her car with bullets when she was at its Idiroko office to find out what led to the death of three students of Ojumo Community High School, Ihunbo, on Monday.

Three students of the school were reportedly killed, while market women were injured when customs officers were conveying a ‘tokunbo’ vehicle they said was smuggled into the country.

Nigeria Customs Service in Ogun State, has, however, said “the command is working assiduously to cater for the injured and to cushion the effect of this unintentional tragedy.”

This is as the killing generated condemnations from Gov Dapo Abiodun, Hon. Adekunle Akinlade and other stakeholders in the state.

But Ajibola in a statement said the rare windshield of her vehicle, a Nissan Murano, was allegedly shattered by bullets from unidentified personnel of the NCS.

The lawmaker, while condemning the alleged killing of the students said, “it is so pathetic that the men of Nigeria Customs Service have denied members of my constituency the fundamental right to their life as stated in Section 33; Sub-section 1 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“It is with a gloomy heart, full of sorrow, that I condemn the barbaric activities by men of Nigeria Customs Service that led to the death of some Secondary School Students in my Consistency on Monday 7th of October 2019.

‘On countless occasions has the Nigeria Customs Service invaded communities in my constituency in-search of smuggled goods after levies have been paid.

“There have been so many events which usually result to merciless killing of innocent and peaceful citizens of my Constituency.

“On the recent one that happens on Monday, after I received a call from my people, I rushed down-home to calm situations on ground, again officers of Nigeria Customs Service destroyed my vehicle while trying to have a peaceful discussion with them.”

Speaking on a radio programme, Ajibola added that, ”I was in their office and they were still shooting for almost one hour. When I now packed my car, I just heard a sound like that of stray bullet. My back windscreen was broken. You need to see my car and see the damage done to it.

Asked if her car was riddled with bullets, Ajibola replied in the affirmative saying, “yes, I took the pictures, everything is with me. I have taken it to the police station. I put a statement down.

She confirmed that three persons actually died in the incident, contrary to a statement by the NCS that one person died.

Ajibola also added that two youths of the community were shot at a time they were protesting the killing of the students; adding that, “those who were shot did not die, they were taken to the hospital.”

Speaking further, Ajibola said her damaged vehicle was not the problem, vowing that “all efforts will be made to put the perpetrator (killer) to justice.”

Contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the NCS Ogun Area 1 Command, Abdullahi Maiwada, denied knowledge of any damage done to Ajibola’s vehicle by any personnel of the Nigeria Customs Service.