Nigerian Senate on Wednesday set up an ad hoc committee to investigate the indiscriminate use of firearms by officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) resulting in alleged killings of Nigerians in Kastina state.
Senate resolution was a sequel to the consideration and adoption of a motion titled “Urgent Need to Investigate the Abuse of Firearms by Officers of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in Katsina State, sponsored by Senator Abdulazeez Yar’adua.
The Committee, which has Senator Francis Fadahunsi as Chairman, has six weeks to present a report of its investigation to the Senate in plenary.
Other members of the committee include Senators Shuaibu Lau, Kawu Sumaila, Tony Nwoye, Umar Sadiq, Akpan Samson, Solomon Adeola, Abdulaziz Yar’adua, Olajide Emmanuel, Mohammed Muntari, and Napoleon Bali.
Senator Yar’adua in his lead debate said it remained a fact that officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) were authorised to carry firearms while discharging their duties.
This, he said was aimed at assisting the service to effectively counter activities of smugglers, who have recently become emboldened in their attack on customs personnel in many cases using sophisticated weapons.
He, however, expressed worry that some officers of the NCS, who should be civil and professional in their engagements and handling of firearms have had a series of shootings of innocent citizens.
According to him, “Given the recurring killings of innocent people by customs operatives in Katsina, the House of Representatives on Feb. 3, 2022, ordered the NCS to pay N390 million as compensation to families of 10 victims that were killed and 13 others injured in Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State.”
“Further disturbed that on July 13, the Chief of Staff to the Katsina state Governor Alhaji Jabiru Tsauri had a narrow escape from a harrowing assault from NCS officials.
“Worried those officers of the NCS at a location near Gorar Yammama highway shot indiscriminately at the vehicle conveying the Chief of Staff to the governor with other aides and close family members.”
He expressed concern that officials of the NCS were yet to apprehend or arrest the erring officers or bring them to book for the unfortunate incident.
FIREARMS DISCIPLINE
In their contributions, Senators Ahmed Lawan, Solomon Adeola, and Abdulaziz Yari among others commended the sponsor for the motion and decried the alleged killings of Nigerians by the NCS.
Senate also condemned the indiscriminate shooting by officers of the NCS on July 13 in Katsina State, urging the authorities to fish out the erring officers to curb such incidence.
It further urged the NCS to improve on the training of its personnel in handling of firearms, especially fire discipline when dealing with Nigerian citizens.
President of Senate, Godswill Akpiabio thereafter said the senate must look at the issue holistically, given the submissions of lawmakers on the motion.
He said the contributions by senators revealed that people have been shot at different times, hence the need to holistically investigate the matter.
Dominica Nwabufo
