Residents Brutalized By Customs And Soldiers For Filming Video

Residents Brutalized By Customs And Soldiers For Filming Video

Security personnel from the Nigerian Customs Service and soldiers stationed at checkpoints along the Badagry-Seme Expressway allegedly assaulted two residents, Taofeek Olatunbosun and Rafiu Abdelmalik, for recording a video. The officers suspected the pair of being informants passing information to journalists.…READ MORE…

about smuggling activities.

The victims, both transporters, were reportedly beaten at the checkpoint while attempting to create a video update for their customer about their location. Olatunbosun explained in a phone interview that they had stopped at a fuel station on their way to Apa, and when his customer repeatedly asked for their location, he instructed his assistant to record a video to send. A security officer then approached and tried to take the assistant’s phone, which drew the attention of more officers at the checkpoint. They accused the men of making videos for journalists to expose smuggling.

The two were taken to a nearby location where a soldier, Adamu Zakari, arrived. After recognizing Olatunbosun, he allegedly threatened to kill his brother the next time they met. Despite recognizing him, Zakari reportedly questioned why they hadn’t been killed and disposed of in the water, leading to the assault.

Abdelmalik, the second victim, said he was only recording the video under his employer’s instructions when one of the smugglers working with the officers slapped him and tried to take his phone. The officers then tortured the two men, demanding they reveal the journalists they intended to send the video to. It was only after residents witnessed the violence and contacted the police that they were rescued. The officers had previously warned journalists in the Badagry area not to report on smuggling activities.

In response, Abdullahi Hossein, Public Relations Officer for Seme Border Customs, stated that the involved officers would be immediately removed from the checkpoint, acknowledging that their actions were not aligned with the organization’s values. The Customs Area Comptroller, Mr. Kayode Kolade, confirmed that the officers would be investigated, with the findings to be made public once the inquiry concluded.

Kolade condemned the officers’ actions as inconsistent with the service’s standards and emphasized their commitment to fostering a safe environment for legitimate trade. Hossein also clarified that, due to the volatile nature of some patrols, military personnel are often attached to the Customs service, though he was unsure if soldiers were involved in this particular incident.

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