Reps urge Nigerian Customs to pay N390m as compensation for extrajudicial killings in Oyo, Katsina

The House of Representatives has asked the Nigerian Customs Service to compensate victims of extrajudicial killings and injuries caused by its officials throughout the country in the amount of N390 million.

This is based on the recommendations of the House Customs and Excise Committee reports after investigating two incidents in Oyo State and one incident in Katsina State.

The president of the Customs and Excise Commission, Leke Abejide, had presented the reports last week, which the Chamber considered and approved in plenary session on Tuesday, according to The Punch.

The committee had investigated “riots in the Iseyin local government area of ​​Oyo State due to the killing of indigenous people by Nigerian Customs Service men.”

The House upheld the committee’s recommendation that “life has no duplicate and cannot be replaced once lost, as such the families of the deceased must be compensated in monetary terms, every soul lost in the Iseyin incident must be compensated.” by the Nigerian Customs Service in the sum of N20,000,000 each.

“The number of lost souls being four; the value of the total compensation for the four deceased is N80,000,000 only”.

The recommendation further stated: “For the person who suffered a gunshot wound in the Iseyin incident, the sum of N2,000,000 will only be paid as compensation for the treatment of the injuries sustained.

“The grand total of compensation for both the deceased and the injured is the sum of N82,000,000 alone.

“The officers involved in the acts of murder of innocent Nigerians must be brought to justice, prosecuted and punished accordingly to deter others.”

The committee, on the “killing of innocent people” in Cuttlefish, Katsina State, by NCS men on August 9, 2021, recommended that “every soul lost in the Cuttlefish LGA incident should be compensated in the sum of N20, 000,000 each by the Nigerian Customs Service.

“The number of lost souls being 10 people; the value of the total compensation for the deceased is N200,000,000 only”.

The committee further recommended: “The 13 people who sustained gunshot wounds in the Cuttlefish incident should receive the sum of N2,000,000 each as compensation from the Nigerian Customs Service for treatment of the injuries sustained.

“The value of the total compensation is only N26,000,000. The grand total payable by the Nigerian Customs Service as compensation for the deceased and the injured should be the sum of N226,000,000 alone.”

Similarly, the committee investigated “the brutal murder in Igangan, Igboora, Ayete, Tapa in the Ibarapa local government area of ​​Oyo state by men from the Nigerian Customs Service”.

Consequently, the panel recommended that each soul lost in the Iseyin incident be compensated by the NCS to the tune of N20,000,000 each.

“The number of lost souls being four; the value of the total compensation for the four deceased is only N80,000,000”, he added.

The recommendation read in part: “For the person who suffered a gunshot wound in the Iseyin incident, the sum of N2,000,000 will only be paid as compensation for the treatment of the injuries sustained.

“The grand total of compensation for both the deceased and the injured is the sum of N82,000,000 alone.

“The officers involved in the acts of murder of innocent Nigerians must be brought to justice, prosecuted and punished accordingly to deter others.”

The committee further recommended that “measures should be taken for the urgent procurement of ballistic (bullet-proof) vehicles, bullet-proof vests and helmets for the Nigerian Customs Service to deal with reckless smugglers who attack their officers at border stations every time. who open fire on them.

“This would encourage the Nigerian Customs Service to be able to reduce smuggling with fewer casualties on their side.

“That as constant conflict with communities is counterproductive and unsustainable, the Nigerian Customs Service should aggressively deepen its engagement with traditional rulers, community stakeholders, host communities, relevant trade associations, police networks and local security teams to prevent further loss of life and property. on all sides.”