How A Customs Officer Shot Me, Told My Wife To Come For My Corpse - Clearing Agent Reveals

 

Adeyemi Salau is a 33-year-old clearing agent in Lagos State. In this interview, he tells TOBI AWORINDE how an officer with the Federal Operations Unit of the Nigeria Customs Service shot him in the leg at Berger checkpoint after the vehicle he picked up was successfully cleared

When and why were you shot by a Customs officer?

The incident happened on March 17, 2021 at Port and Terminal Multiservices Limited on Tin Can Island, Lagos State. I was driving a 2019 Toyota RAV4 out with my client, who owns the car, sitting beside me. The Valuation Unit of the Nigeria Customs Service had given me a compromised value for the car, which I had paid. The vehicle was released from Customs and it came out that same day. When I got to Berger Yard, I was stopped by the (NCS) Federal Operations Unit. They parked two of their Hilux vans at that place and there were up to 20 officers. Because there was a heavy traffic and that place was blocked, the officer who stopped me started shouting, ‘Get down! Come down! Wind down!’ Immediately I wound down the vehicle’s window he brought out a jackknife; he wanted to stab me. I dodged it. He started hitting me with a gun. He shouted, ‘Get down from that car!’ Immediately I opened the door and brought out my leg, he shot my leg.

Are you saying he shot you intentionally and without any provocation?

Yes, he shot me intentionally, it wasn’t an accidental discharge. I said, ‘Oga, you shot me.’ He said, ‘Yes, and I will shoot you again.’ I was trying to crawl from that place, trying to get people’s attention by shouting, “I’ve been shot! I’ve been shot!” but the Customs officer didn’t allow anybody to carry me.

I stopped a motorcycle guy; he slapped the bike man and despatched him away, pronouncing he could make sure I died there; he could placed me of their van and deliver me water so that I might die. In the procedure, my boss referred to as my smartphone and said, “I heard a gunshot there. Please, be very careful.” Then I informed him I turned into the individual that become shot. Immediately I stated that, the officer accumulated my telephone and put it in his pocket.

There was a man, Monday, that stood with the aid of me and desired to hold me but he became crushed. The guy nonetheless carried me even as they persisted to overcome him. But the officer that shot me held me through my clothes and threw me into the gutter. I struggled to pop out; he nevertheless didn’t allow anybody to hold me. One of his colleagues told him, “Leave that boy; allow that boy go.” Some officials of the SPU (Special Procedures Unit) who were, perhaps escorting a person from Tin Can, stopped by using and have been curious approximately the motive of the traffic. So, they got here there and saw what took place. I don’t understand if they (SPU officials) talked to the Customs officials however they left with those human beings earlier than I crawled throughout the road and went to the sanatorium.

How did you manage to get to the clinic?

I crawled from that location to the alternative facet of the road. Then I stopped any other motorcycle to take me to any close by sanatorium. One of my friends assisted me. My wife referred to as my variety to invite me how paintings turned into going and the way I become doing. The officer picked the decision and stated, ‘Your husband is lifeless. Come and carry his corpse at Ikeja.’ He then hung up, so she stored on calling – she called a number of my friends and my boss. She changed into calling all people, crying, before she later got here to the health center to look for me. The Divisional Police Officer, Trinity Police Station got here to the medical institution. One of the Customs controllers had called him to find out the situation and check on me. The DPO delivered N100,000, saying the controller stated he should supply it to me. I said, “Okay, no problem, but I cannot collect it. Let my human beings come. They will accumulate it from you. I can't try this with out their consent.”

My household later went to the station to gather the N100,000. On Friday (March 19), they (Customs) sent every other N100,000 to us. On Monday, I requested the person that went to accumulate the N100,000 to gather my smartphone from the officer. But Customs stated they couldn't deliver all of us my smartphone and that I ought to come myself when I became sturdy sufficient to collect the cellphone. So, I was there closing Monday (March 22), and they gave me again my phone, saying it turned into unfortunate and that they had been sorry about what occurred, however that they had been still doing a little kind of research.

Did the N200,000 you were given cowl the clinical expenses?.

No. The develop charge I made for my treatment on that day become about N170,000, at the least, to secure my life. My health may be very vital to me. After then, after I wanted to leave the sanatorium, I still paid a few money. I went there closing Wednesday (March 24), and that they gave me a listing of medicine to shop for, which I sold.

Why do you think the Customs officer shot you?

I don’t realize why he shot me. I examine that they (Customs) stated I changed into suffering for manipulate of the officer’s gun. But that’s now not real. If they're sure in their claim that I was suffering for the manage of his gun, they ought to let us do a fingerprint exam.

Do you already know the identity of the officer who shot you?
I don’t realize his name but if I see him I will realize him. The individual who shot me is a two-star officer and the person who launched the car is an assistant controller. The person that issued the (automobile’s) valuation and assigned it's far a controller as properly.

What passed off to the proprietor of the automobile?
.
They beat him up as well, so, he ran away.

Do you recognize what occurred to the auto?

I saw the automobile the day I went to Ikeja.

How awful is the gunshot wound you sustained?.

There have been  bullets. One surpassed thru my leg and got here out from the opposite facet. Then any other hit my ankle.

Did the bullet hit your bone?.

It didn’t, however I want them to cast off the stitches first to be sure. I went again to the sanatorium after six or seven days for them to remove the stitches however they said it wasn’t but time as blood became nonetheless oozing from the wounds. So, perhaps when they cast off the stitches and I get a piece better, I will move for an X-ray.

Did the medical doctors explicit any problem approximately the hazard of amputation?

No, there is nothing like that.

How has the incident affected your livelihood?

Presently, I cannot visit work and in this line of labor, if a few clients don’t see you in character, it'd be very tough to do enterprise with you and I am a circle of relatives guy; I actually have three kids. But thank God I’m alive.