By Abdulraheem Kawthar Adenike | Fact Frontier.
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The Osun State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of two operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in connection with the fatal shooting of a yet-to-be-identified driver in the Dada Estate area of Osogbo on Saturday.
The incident, which has sparked widespread outrage, occurred during a high-stakes chase involving vehicles suspected to be smuggled foreign-used cars, commonly referred to as "tokunbo" vehicles.
In a statement issued to journalists on Sunday, the State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Yemisi Opalola, confirmed that the suspects are now in custody and that investigations are underway.
The two arrested officers have been identified as Kolawole Suuti and Danjuma Samuel. According to police sources, the officers were pursuing a white Toyota Corolla with Lagos registration number AAA 400 GQ when the driver of another vehicle, an ash-coloured Toyota Corolla with registration number GFQ 0982, was caught in the crossfire.
The command received a distress call on Saturday regarding a shooting incident at Dada Estate. Upon arrival at the scene, our operatives discovered that two Customs officers had allegedly shot and killed a male driver,SP Opalola stated.
The victim was rushed to the Osun State University Teaching Hospital (UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital) but was pronounced dead on arrival by medical attendants. His body has since been deposited in the hospital’s morgue for autopsy.
The police recovered a Beretta pistol with breech number 125024 from the suspects, along with 11 rounds of live ammunition and one spent shell. Both vehicles involved in the incident were also impounded as exhibits.
Reacting to the incident, the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, condemned the act in strong terms and vowed that justice would prevail.
I have ordered a comprehensive and immediate investigation into this unfortunate incident. Anyone found culpable, regardless of their status or uniform, will face the full weight of the law,CP Gotan said in a statement.
He further appealed to residents of the state to remain calm, assuring them that the command is committed to ensuring transparency and accountability in the handling of the case.
The Nigeria Customs Service has yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident, but sources within the service indicate that the officers may have been operating based on intelligence regarding smuggled vehicles in the area. However, the police have emphasized that the use of lethal force in such circumstances must be justified, and preliminary findings suggest that the shooting may have been avoidable.
Human rights activists have also weighed in on the incident, calling for a thorough probe into the recurring cases of extrajudicial actions by security operatives. The Osun State Government, through the Ministry of Justice, has indicated that it is monitoring the investigation and may intervene to ensure that the family of the deceased gets justice.
As at the time of filing this report, the two officers remain in police custody at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Osogbo, where they are being interrogated.
More details to follow as the investigation unfolds.
