Killing of Customs Officers: Ex-Association leader calls for investigation

Following endless killing of Customs Officers by the suspected smugglers, the former President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr. Eugene Nweke, has called for investigation without delay.

While he condemned the killing of two officers recently in Kebbi in the North West Nigeria, and those badly injured in Katsina, Nweke urged the Federal governor to commence investigation into factors responsible for the endless attacks.

In a statement which was obtained by CAPITAL POST on Friday, he called on patriotic citizens to rise to the occasion of utter condemnation of smuggling under any guise.

“Killing an officer of the republic in the line of his national duties is an open confrontation and attack on the republic itself, as such leadership must arise to stem the rising incident squarely”.

Nweke further pointed out for the repose of the souls of the departed officers, while he said that international trade between nations thrives within the corridor of the international frontiers.

He added that the law, “empowers the Customs to protect the international frontiers for the reasons of revenue generation and prevention and suppressing of unwanted or prohibited trade and services into the country”.

In carrying out these responsibilities, he asserted, several factors promote smuggling activities in the republic, which overtime continues to expose security officers to dangers and wanton killing of innocent Officers”.

He argued that these “trending factors needed to be purposefully x-rayed on one hand and the then develop the political and economic will to address the menace squarely”.

He added, “It is aptly necessary to address factors amongst other factors that gave credence to promoting smuggling activities in the land.

He identified the high rate of unemployment, poverty, disparity in government policies and other factors as reasons driving smuggling, expressing the hope that, the menace could lessen, if government rise to the occasion.