On Friday some officers of the Nigeria Customs
Service, Federal Operations Unit, Ikeja, allegedly lunched an attack on a
magistrate, Lekan Aka-Bashorun, for impounding their vehicles after they violated traffic
laws. The officers were said to have slapped Aka-Bashorun, while two policemen were also beaten
up by same custom officers
It was gathered that court exhibits and
recording gadgets were also allegedly damaged by the customs officials,
who reportedly claimed that their vehicles could not be impounded by
the Lagos State Mobile Court.
On
Friday around 1pm, the task force officials with the mobile court went
to Allen Avenue, Ikeja, to impound vehicles caught violating traffic
laws.
The officials were said to have arrived
at the NCS, FOU headquarters, Ikeja, where some private cars were
reportedly parked along the walkways. The
mobile court officials impounded the vehicles, some customs officials
allegedly barricaded the highway with stones and tyres.
The customs officers, who were said to
have forcefully removed the number plates from the impounded vehicles,
allegedly hit the magistrate for ordering that the vehicles be
impounded.
A witness, who gave his name only as
Ibrahim, alleged that two mobile phones belonging to the officials were
seized by the customs officers during the rampage.
He said,
“It was around a car wash area. To show that it was wrong to park vehicles by the walkway, there was also a ‘No parking’ sign, put there by the customs authorities. But some vehicles were parked there. The state mobile court impounded the vehicles.
“But the customs men trooped out and blocked the highway with stones and tyres. They beat up the court officials. One of them slapped the magistrate. They removed the number plates of the impounded vehicles. They also took two mobile phones. A camera, which was being used to record the scene, was taken away.”
Later the two
customs officers were arrested by the police during the affray, while
officials of the mobile court were quickly taken away to safety.
It was gathered that the two customs officers – identified as Goyit Bulus and Sunday Olugbogi – were later released on bail..”
Nigeria Customs officers beat Lagos magistrate for impounding vehicles
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