Rita Odafe
On December 1, 2024, two local residents, Rafiu Abdelmalik and Taofeek Olatunbosun, reported that officials from the Nigerian Customs Service and military personnel committed acts of violence against them at a checkpoint on the Badagry-Seme Expressway when they were video recording.
The customs agents suspected the men were providing journalists with information on smuggling operations. Both Olatunbosun and Abdelmalik, who work in transportation, were trying to inform their clients of their whereabouts when the altercation occurred.
In a conversation with Vanguard, Olatunbosun shared, “We paused at a fuel station en route to Apa. My customer requested my location, so I asked my assistant to film our surroundings to send to him. Suddenly, an individual approached my assistant to snatch his phone, drawing the attention of security at the checkpoint, who accused us of filming for journalists aimed at exposing smuggling.”
The officers moved them to a different location where they contacted their leader, Officer Adamu Zakari, a soldier. Olatunbosun recalled, “When he showed up, he recognized me, mentioned my brother, and threatened to kill him next time they met. Regardless of knowing who I was, he didn’t believe our explanation and questioned why we hadn’t been killed and disposed of in the water.” This marked the beginning of their severe beating.
Abdelmalik, the second victim, recounted, “I was merely following my boss’s instructions. A smuggler colluding with the officers slapped me and tried to take my phone. They then dragged us to a hidden spot near the checkpoint where they tortured us, pressuring us to name the journalists we intended to send the footage to.”
Eventually, local residents intervened after witnessing the brutality and alerted the authorities. “If it weren’t for the residents contacting the police, we might have been killed,” Abdelmalik said. Reports indicated that those same officers had previously warned journalists in Badagry against covering smuggling activities.
This incident comes shortly after journalist Fisayo Soyombo’s investigative report unveiled the Nigerian Customs Service’s suspected involvement in smuggling along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway. His findings revealed Customs vans at checkpoints allowing smugglers to pass, transporting items such as rice, chicken, and turkey, and raising suspicions of drug and weapon smuggling.
When approached for a comment, Abdullahi Hossein, the Seme Border Customs Public Relations Officer, stated, “We will immediately withdraw the involved officers from the checkpoint. Their actions do not reflect our organization’s values, and we accept full responsibility.” Addressing the military’s role, Hossein noted, “Given the risky nature of some patrols, we have military personnel accompanying us. I cannot confirm military involvement in this incident, but we accept accountability and encourage the victims to contact us.”
