Customs and Soldiers Brutalize Transporters Over Alleged Video Recording on Badagry-Seme Road

Two transporters, Taofeek Olatunbosun and Rafiu Abdelmalik, were severely attacked by officers of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and soldiers at a checkpoint on the Badagry-Seme Expressway on December 1, 2024. The incident unfolded after the two were accused of recording videos suspected to expose alleged smuggling activities in the area.

Olatunbosun explained that the ordeal began when he and his assistant stopped at a fuel station to refuel. While sending a location update to a customer, his assistant began recording a video of the surroundings. This action attracted the attention of the officers, who suspected they were gathering footage for journalists investigating smuggling.

The officers took the two transporters to a nearby location, where they were confronted by Officer Adamu Zakari, a soldier, who allegedly threatened to harm Olatunbosun’s brother. Despite recognizing Olatunbosun, Zakari remained skeptical of their story and began to assault them. The abuse escalated when Abdelmalik was also attacked and interrogated by officers and suspected smugglers about which journalists they intended to share the video with. The situation nearly turned deadly, with the officers continuing their torture until residents called the police, which halted the assault.

The attack follows investigative reports by journalist Fisayo Soyombo, which highlighted the alleged complicity of Customs officers and smugglers along the Lagos-Badagry corridor, pointing to the unchecked transportation of goods like rice and poultry through Customs checkpoints.

In response, Abdullahi Hossein, the Public Relations Officer for Seme Border Customs, assured that the officers involved would be immediately withdrawn from the checkpoint. He acknowledged that their actions were not representative of the organization’s values and took responsibility for the incident. Regarding the role of military personnel, Hossein clarified that while military personnel are sometimes attached to patrols, he was unsure whether they were involved in this specific incident. He urged the victims to reach out to the authorities for further assistance.