For the duo of Musbau and Taoreedat Sanni, the death of their father, Alhaji Moruf Sanni, during a clash between the Ajilete community and officials of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has brought them sadness and joy.

Moruf (a.k.a Yaro) was killed during the Ajilete clash in Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State. Although the Sanni siblings were happy that they were given employment by the NCS, they also remember the circumstances, leading to the death of their breadwinner and wished that he was alive.

Musbau told Daily Sun: “For me, this event of presentation of letters of employment to me and my younger sister is sadness and joy. Yes, we are happy with the benevolence and magnanimity of the Customs service by offering us employment but we are also sad that our father is not alive. “For every situation, one must give thanks and glory to God. We are happy today with what has just happened to us. But we would have been happier if our father was alive. For me and my sister, we never dreamt of being employed by the Customs. That is why I describe the event of today as sadness and joy.

“We can deduce from what has happened to us after the death of our father that he died for us. We shall keep his memory aglow and we shall continue to pray for the repose of his soul. He was one father who always stressed the need for his children to be educated. “Initially, when the Comptroller-General of Customs made the announcement during a condolence visit to our family, we thought it was another joke. But the presentation of letters of employment to me and my sister has foreclosed our doubt. We will continue to be grateful to God and the Customs for giving us this opportunity.

“After the death of my father, I had thought things had finished with me, particularly my desire to further my education after my secondary education. Before his death, he always assured me that he would ensure that I see the four walls of a university. I am beginning to see that coming into fruition. “It has always been my ambition to be a graduate, but the paucity of funds from my parents made it impossible for me to actualize this. With this employment, I will not hesitate to bring the dream to fruition.
“I receive the sad news through the social network, facebook in Lagos, where a friend posted that my father was shot dead in Ajilete. I play football in Lagos since I finished my secondary school.

“I did not believe him, I thought it was a joke. The reality of the sad event dawned on me when I started receiving telephone calls condoling with me. I rushed home and saw the lifeless body of my father.” Presenting the letters of employment signed by Mr. G.B. Makarfi on behalf of the Comptroller-General, Mr. Dikko Inde Abdullahi, the Ogun State Comptroller of Customs, Mr. Richard Oteri, lamented smuggling activities in the area which he described as alarming.

According to him, the employment of the children of Sanni was a fulfillment of a promise made by Abdullahi. He said the NCS was greatly worried by the incident: “This is a means of cushioning the effect of the unfortunate incident, by providing employment for two siblings of the late Sanni. The NCS believes while the duo work with the Service, they will be able to take care of othq2qer members of the family.”

Oteri said the NCS had love and indeed concern for its host communities across the country. He disclosed that Ajilete had always been a flash point and lamented that the unfortunate incident was not the first, but prayed that it would be the last.
He charged the traditional ruler of Ajilete, Oba Dauda Akinlade, to enlighten his subjects that the NCS officials were on national assignment and not to be seen as enemies: “We do not take delight in causing problem for the host community. We have no evil intention of being here. We want you to tell your subjects, particularly your youths that they should be hospitable to us. This menace of smuggling will not help anybody. Rather, it destroys the economy because revenue that is supposed to be accruable to the government is usually lost by smuggling.”

Eze Ndigbo of Ipokia Local Government, Eze Emmanuel Ochidere, expressed delight at the gesture of the Customs: “I have been long in this area; I can tell you that I have never seen this kind of a thing. I am glad that a government official promised and went ahead to implement it. I give kudos to the Comptroller of Customs for abiding by his words of providing jobs for the children of the late Sanni. What he has done is worthy of emulation by other departments and agencies of government. If this is done, it will always bring harmonious relationship between the host community and the government agency like the NCS.”
Oba Akinlade lamented smuggling activities in the area: “I am not a hard man to deal with. I am soft, but I don’t encourage smuggling or the type of thing that we experienced on July 28, 2011. I responded to a distress call in the morning that Tokunbo boys were attacking them. That a masquerade was among them.

“It was the mention of the masquerade that made me to act. On getting there, I discovered that those were Ajilete and Oke-Odan boys. They were just too many. I did my best to pacify them and left the scene.

(Is it not rather absurd and callous that the NCS should offer employment to children of a man killed by them? Much like telling them to join the people who killed their father - an insult to the man's name and memory.)

It is crazy and the children seems to have been taken in by the despicable gesture out dire desperation. Nigerians as a result of chronic hardship are losing their mental and emotional stability and intergrity. They should sue the damn customs for millions for the unlawful killing of their loved one and breadpwinner,even the employment letters are added advantages because they will tendered in court as proofs of ignoble bride by customs to stop them from speaking out.