Tragedy hits Customs anti-smuggling team as officer drowns in Lagos

Attempt by some Customs officers to intercept smuggled goods in the Creek in Lagos has ended on a tragic note.

An Assistant Inspector of Customs, Mr A.A. Aliyu had drowned about 06.10pm on March 22 while operatives of the command, Akere Surveillance/Monitoring team under Idiroko Outstation, acted on a tipoff along Vawhe-Isalu creeks to fight the smugglers.

“The accident resulted to the death of Assistant Inspector of Customs Aliyu AA by drowning.

“The body of the deceased was found underneath the river with the assistance of villagers around the axis.

“The body was taken to General Hospital Badagry and later deposited at the mortuary, having been certified dead by the doctor on call.

“The corpse was transported by air on-board MAX air airline to Kano on March 23, on the request of the family of the deceased,” Idaho Sulaiman, spokesman for the Nigeria Customs Service, Western Marine Command, said in a statement.

The deceased, who hailed from Funtua Local Government Area of Katsina was was born on July 10, 1987.

Aliyu joined the NCS on Oct. 17, 2013 as Customs Assistant II (CAII) and got promoted to the rank of AIC on January 1, 2019.