THE House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the alleged killing of five persons by men of the Nigeria Customs Service while pursuing rice smugglers in Iseyin, Oyo State.
The House particularly mandated its Committee on Customs and Excise to “investigate the incident and report back to the House within two weeks for further legislative action.”
At the plenary on Tuesday, the lawmaker representing lseyin/ltesiwaju/Kajola/lwajowa Federal Constituency in Oyo State at the House, Mr Shina Peller, had moved a motion to demand an investigation into the killings and compensation of the victims’ families.
The motion was titled ‘Urgent need to investigate the unrest in Iseyin Local Government Area of Oyo State caused by killing of indigenes by men of the Nigeria Customs Service.’
Peller said, “The House is disturbed that on Thursday, 13th of May, 2021, the Customs men, according to eyewitnesses, were in pursuit of a Sport Utility Vehicle conveying bags of rice when they started shooting ‘sporadically’ and in the process, five people were killed.
“It was a sad day as the people were celebrating the Eid-el-Fitr in the Oja Oba area of the ancient town. The names of the victims are Oluwatobi, Timothy, Wasiu, Abdulazeez Abdullahi and Umar Abu.
“The House is also disturbed that this act of the men of the Nigeria Customs Service shows total negligence, abuse of authority, gross misconduct and disregard for human lives. The Customs men are supposed to be about 40 kilometres to the border town.”
