Customs Man’s Bullet Kills Trader
Published on June 21, 2013 by · 8 Comments
A stray bullet fired by a
Customs officer identified as
Ade, has killed a middle aged
woman in a commuter bus.
The tragedy occurred when the
Customs officer tried to
intercept a suspected smuggler
around Ilashe area of Ipokia
Local Government Area of
Ogun State, southwest Nigeria.
The victim, a mother of five children identified as Fausat Bankole, sold fruits and vegetables and was
on her way to Ihunbo market when she was killed.
According to an eye witness who craved for anonymity, “the Customs officers were at their check
point and had already stopped and checked the bus the deceased was in.
“And as the bus was about to move, a motorcycle rider conveying some bags of rice suspected to
have been smuggled, was ordered to stop but he refused to stop. So, Ade, the Customs officer, shot
at the rider and a stray bullet hit Fausat inside the bus and she died.”
Following the incident, youths in the area barricaded the busy Idiroko road.
However, the arrival of anti-riot policemen prevented the situation from degenerating into violence.
When P.M.NEWS visited the home of the deceased at Idiroko, the husband, Mr. Bankole, who is also
a trader, was too shocked to believe that his wife was dead.
He declined a press interview. However, a member of the family, Mr. Ogunwusi Ajibade, described
the late Fausat as a pillar of the family.
“She was a hard working woman. She took care of everyone with the little money she made from
selling farm producce. She was going to Ihunbo market when she was killed by the Customs officer,”
said Ajibade.
The first child of the deceased, Rilwan Bankole, 21, told P.M.NEWS about his last conversation with
his mother on the fateful day before she left for the market.
“We did general fasting. We all prayed around 12 midnight and we woke up by 5am this morning
(Thursday) to eat. After eating, she told me that she was going to the market and that she would
flash me so that I can wake the children up in case they sleep again so that they can prepare and go
to school,” he said.
Narrating further, Rilwan said: “After 6 a.m. I did not notice her flashing or call so I asked my junior
ones to prepare and go to school. It was only Semiat, who is writing her NECO exam today
(Thursday), and myself that were left at home when I heard people crying outside our house.
“Initially I did not care to know who was crying but one of my friends later ran to me and said he
heard that the vehicle my mother entered had an accident. I immediately broke down and the people
around held me up. That is all I know about the tragedy.”
Reacting to the incident in a statement, the Customs Public Relations Officer in charge of Ogun State
Command, DSC Chike Ngige, said the officer that pulled the trigger has been detained and that he is
facing an orderly room trial.
According to Ngige, “in the early hours of 20th June, 2013, 600am to be precise, our patrol team on
information patrol along Ilashe area of Idiroko/Owodo Road, Ipokia Local Government Area,
accosted a suspected vehicle. The driver of the vehicle tried to escape, to avoid proper Customs
checks, and that prompted one of the patrol officers to aim the tyre of the vehicle to demobilise it.
The bullet re-bounded on the hard surface of the road and hit a lady inside another vehicle. The lady
was immediately rushed to the Customs clinic at Idiroko for urgent medical attention, but she died
shortly after arrival at the clinic.
“Meanwhile the Area Controller, Ogun State Command is on top of the situation. The officer who
released the fatal shots has been identified, and he is presently under detention.”
Ngige further stated that “the Controller has constituted an immediate Orderly Room Trial panel to
interrogate the officer to ascertain his level of culpability, and if he is found culpable, he will be
dismissed by Customs Service, and he will be subsequently handed over to the police for possible
prosecution. The police were called in by the Controller to help maintain peace and return normalcy
to the restive area.
“Meanwhile, the Controller has held several meetings with the deceased family, the traditional ruler,
and the community leaders of the community where the deceased hails from. The controller has
therefore, asked the general public, particularly members of the affected community to remain calm,
and to go about their normal businesses, as efforts are being made to ensure that justice is seen to
be done.”
Fausat left behind five children, namely Rilwan, 21, Semiat,17, Memunat, 15, Mojeed, 10, and
Balques, 7, including Mr. Bankole, her husband.

http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2013/06/21/customs-mans-bullet-kills-trader/

These incidents of "stray bullets" have to be stopped. Does it mean that the heads of the security agencies don't train their officers on proper shooting? What's going on?

CFCfan: These incidents of "stray bullets" have to be stopped. Does it mean that the heads of the security agencies don't train their officers on proper shooting? What's going on?

Ill train them to shoot.. Even my 5 year old is a good shot

SniperInADiaper:

Ill train them to shoot.. Even my 5 year old is a good shot

As a sniper, I hope they'll learn from you.

CFCfan: These incidents of "stray bullets" have to be stopped. Does it mean that the heads of the security agencies don't train their officers on proper shooting? What's going on?

The thing tire me o! it's only in Nigeria you hear about stray bullets and how it kills people. So sad for the woman! may she RIP.

berem: The thing tire me o! it's only in Nigeria you hear about stray bullets killing people. So sad for the woman! may she RIP.

Unfortunately stray bullets end a lot of lives

berem: The thing tire me o! it's only in Nigeria you hear about stray bullets and how it kills people. So sad for the woman! may she RIP.

I think it could also be as a result of a lack of tactical/common sense. In a crowded environment, an officer of the law shouldn't be shooting sporadically.

So, Ade, the Customs officer, shot
at the rider and a stray bullet hit Fausat inside the bus and she died.”

They should use taser stun guns on the suspects, not stray bullets.

Shooting a rider because he refused to stop when asked to do so is an offence. You don't have any proof that he smuggled drugs or anything,why shoot him? The customer and NDLEA guys I know while growing up those days normally chase suspects with cars whenever such persons refuses to obey the stop and search order when flagged down.

SniperInADiaper:

Unfortunately stray bullets end a lot of lives

Only in Nigeria. shame on our law enforcement agents!

When will they stop giving out guns to madmen?
That is how they keep seizing poor women's rice on the road and later give them to the wives to sell at auction price.
Rot in jail. RIp to the fine woman.