What would have turned into a deadly confrontation between operatives of the Nigeria Custom Service at Idi-Iroko border in Ogun State and men of the Nigeria Police Force was averted by shear providence.

The experience of a police officer, Inspector Frances Ononiwu, attached to the Border Patrol Unit of the force in the hands of Custom officers manning check points at Ilase axis of Idiroko Road, Ogun State, may have been the triggering force, after the Police officer was accosted at Ilase by Custom officers and it almost degenerated into a deadly war.

At the end of the confrontation, the Police officer was severely injured and he alleged that a large sum of money, both in local and foreign currencies were stolen from him by the Custom Officers.

Narrating the circumstances that led to the ugly incident, the Police Officer stated, “I was on my way to Atan area of Ogun state when I ran into a Custom checking point at Ilase axis of Idiroko Road. They signaled at me to stop and I did obediently. They checked my vehicle after which I was allowed to continue my journey.

“But after driving a few distance, I saw one of the Customs patrol vehicles driving dangerously towards me and when it double crossed me, I parked my vehicle into a nearby bush. As soon as I stopped, six men putting on Nigeria Customs uniform jumped out of the vehicle and pounced on me. The oldest man among them slapped me first, while others started hitting me with their riffle. And one of them hit his rifle on my head and it broke my skull.

...The victim, Inspt. Francse Ononiwu

“Later, one of them went into their vehicle and brought a rope which he used in tying my neck while the rest entered into my car and ransacked it. They took the 1.9m Cefars I kept inside my pigeon hole. The money belongs to my wife who deals on oil and gas at Owode. They also took N720,000; I kept under my car seat. That money was given to me by a woman called Adora to buy a car for her in Cotonou.

“But while these customs officers were beating me in this manner, I was shouting that I am a police officer attached to border patrol but they said I should keep my mouth shut, that I was a smuggler and I was trying to smuggle my car - a car which I bought from Seme last year and paid all customs duties as required into the country. When they were through, they towed my vehicle to their point and left me in a pool of my blood at the scene.

“After a while, they drove back to the scene and picked me. I don’t know how they came about it but one of them said that they should take me to the hospital but a policeman who was also serving at the border patrol came to the point and insisted that I should be taken to Idi-Iroko General Hospital where I was given some treatment before I was transferred to Badagary General Hospital. I was later referred to see a Neuro Surgeon over the injuries inflicted on my skull.

“The custom officials also impounded my car and parked it at their Sentry office for close to one month claiming that it was smuggled and no duty was paid. But I paid my customs duty in my name and I have all the receipt to show for it. It took the intervention of my Commander at the Border Patrol to get my car released.

“I have reported the case at the State Criminal Investigations Department, Eleweran, Abeokuta, Ogun State, and the police officers investigating the matter have sent several invitations to the custom to produce the officers involved in the matter to appear before them but the customs are yet to reply or show up. All I need from them is to refund all the money they took from me and provide money for me to travel abroad to see a Neuro Surgeon.”

However, in their reaction, a spokesman for the Ogun State Custom Command, Chike Nigege, described Inspector Ononiwu’s action as ‘disappointing and unprofessional’, stressing that he conducted himself in a manner that was unethical of a police officer.

According to him, “he was lucky he wasn’t shot by the Custom officers who chased him. I am sure they may have cautioned themselves, that was why he wasn’t shot. If you are familiar with Idi-Iroko road and the spate of smuggling activities that goes on there, you will understand what I mean. I have spoken with the officers involved and they have narrated the incident to me.

“I am aware you know these officers are not crazy for them to have seen a vehicle and without talking to the driver, pounced on him and start beating him. It will interest you to know that this police officer was driving a fairly new Camry car and I am sure that the registration wasn’t complete yet and he approached the custom checking point at Alase which happens to be a hot bed for smugglers.

“There are several routes smugglers take but Alase is the major point where all the smugglers take and the custom resolved to intensify its checks at that point. But when this car approached the point, the driver drove dangerously and he almost ran over an officer who was flagging him down on the road.

“The officers thought he was a smuggler and they went after him with their patrol vehicle. The road was very free and it was just the two of them on the road, this car refused to stop until the officers managed to double- cross and stopped him. There were three occupants in the car and they asked the driver to provide the vehicle particulars and he said he had none.

“They suspected he was either a police or a military officer and they asked him to identify himself. He told them bluntly that he had no identity card. Then one of the officers went to him and asked him to come out of his car since he has refused to provide his vehicle papers or show an identity card. All efforts to make him alight from the car failed until he succeeded in tearing the shirt of one of the officers when they wanted to force him out.

“It was during the process that the nuzzle of one of the guns an officer was carrying struck him on his head and he started bleeding. The instant he saw blood, he jumped up and said now he would teach the officers some lesson. He opened his pigeon hole and brought out vehicle papers and his identity card and handed them over to the officers and they towed the vehicle to their point.

“Then they drove back to pick him so that they can take him to the hospital. Though he followed them but when he got to the checking point, he called his colleagues on the phone and they came to the point. They refused he should be taken to Custom hospital for treatment and insisted that they would take him to their hospital. The officers took him back to his car where he checked and discovered every thing was intact, but at the evening of that day, he called a custom officer requesting they should open his car in the presence of two policemen he sent to retrieve his wallet and keys he left in the car.

“This man was conscious when his car was impounded for verification and he didn’t tell anyone that he had money in his car and even when he sent two police officers to retrieve his wallet and keys, he didn’t mention that there was money in it hence, he would have asked them to get it for him. The customs would not condone any act of indiscipline from anyone. It is disheartening that a police officer would conduct him self in such a shameful and unethical manner,”he stated.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/05/how-custom-officers-stole-my-n2m-police-inspector/ I say "what is good for the Geese is good for the Gander", this inspector needs to explain how he came about so LIQUID CASH. Was he on duty or NOT on the date in question.

How did the policeman acquire 2m?

Beaf: How did the policeman aqcuire 2m?

That is the worry and question? They should treat him exactly like the guy arrested with N4million at an accident scene on Badagry Expressway. His explanations of helping to buy stuff (car) and holding some for the wife are unacceptable; to me that is another offence, in short he needs to go in for economic sabotage, using official title to break the law etc, etc.

A nigerian police inspector with 2m cash? Am sure that, the way and manner he got that kind of money, was the same manner the money was taken away from him.

Cock and bull on d officers side,cock& bull on the customs side;one can easily see each side coming up wt made up stories in d process contradicting themselves.Bunch of corrupt law enforcement officers,no good to anyone but their pockets

Almaiga: A nigerian police inspector with 2m cash? Am sure that, the way and manner he got that kind of money, was the same manner the money was taken away from him.

I would say "what is good for the Geese is good for the Gander", this inspector needs to explain how he came about so much LIQUID CASH? Was he on duty or NOT on the date in question?

Oya na!!

Who be the hunter and who be the bushmeat

The same police would tag you a yahoo yahoo boy and arrest you if you had a tenth of that amount without a reasonable explanation. Corrupt bastards

gulfer: I would say "what is good for the Geese is good for the Gander", this inspector needs to explain how he came about so much LIQUID CASH? Was he on duty or NOT on the date in question?

GARBAGE IN GARBAGE OUT
OLE GBE OLE GBA

This is a CLASSIC case of LIE vs LIE!!! Knowing fully well how our policemen tell stupid and childish lies, I believe the policeman also met his match in the 'LYING' antics of his uniformed comrades in the customs officers. Or please tell me how stupid he would be to be carrying such amounts of money when there are banks that could handle that type of cash? Or how the nuzzle of a rifle would 'touch' someone on the head and it would start bleeding without using much force or firing it??

abegi!!! make dem go act police vs customs part 1

Tif dey report tif

barawo vs. ole!

Typical. Pathetic. I don't wish to know who is telling the truth & who is lying. The nigeria police and their customs counterpart are thieving bastards! Together, they account for 50% of the problems we have in this country. I hope they kill demselves in the brough-haha.

gulfer:
“It was during the process that the nuzzle of one of the guns an officer was carrying struck him on his head and he started bleeding. The instant he saw blood, he jumped up and said now he would teach the officers some lesson. He opened his pigeon hole and brought out vehicle papers and his identity card and handed them over to the officers and they towed the vehicle to their point.
.[/b]

Story Story...
Once upon a time...

Beaf: How did the policeman acquire 2m?

Na wa ooo. didn't you read the story?
okay let me make it short for ya.

gulfer: “[s]Later, one of them went into their vehicle and brought a rope which he used in tying my neck while the rest entered into my car and ransacked it[/s]. They took the 1.9m Cefars I kept inside my pigeon hole. The money belongs to my wife who deals on oil and gas at Owode. They also took N720,000; I kept under my car seat. That money was given to me by a woman called Adora to buy a car for her in Cotonou.[/b]

are u clear on the the issue now?
besides, some Policemen are honest millionaires .

Was it not because he's attached to border patrol that "Adora" gave him the money to buy a car for her knowing he's abusing his office to buy and import cars from Benin into Nigeria? As long as wolves continue to devour each other, I will merely shrug.

Cunny man die,cunny man bury am.

Boko haram v Alqueida = No "ACCIDENTAL DISCHARGES"!

[/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]the two versions of what transpired has sent me to the floor laughing....so the police man is now a procurment officer and the butt of the gun mistakenly hitting the police man who on being beaten now shows his particulars and ID....some please get scene 2 act 2 going...i laugh[i]the two versions of what transpired has sent me to the floor laughing....so the police man is now a procurment officer and the butt of the gun mistakenly hitting the police man who on being beaten now shows his particulars and ID....some please get scene 2 act 2 going...i laugh[/i]the two versions of what transpired has sent me to the floor laughing....so the police man is now a procurment officer and the butt of the gun mistakenly hitting the police man who on being beaten now shows his particulars and ID....some please get scene 2 act 2 going...i laugh

Nigerian police don't need a crook like Mr Ononiwu.
He should be dismissed for this act of illegality.
The custom officers involved should be punished as well.
Why should they beat him up? Is it to show their strength?
They should miss the next promotion exercise.

Birds of the same feather. The policeman isn't telling the whole truth, neither the custom. The police are well known for thier corruption and the customs are the worst at this. They (customs) are sheeps in wolves clothing.

gulfer: this inspector needs to explain how he came about so much LIQUID CASH?

Beaf: How did the policeman acquire 2m?

I'm pretty sure this was clearly stated in English in the OP.

Typical Case of Arm robber Vs Criminal ! Who do U believe? Birds of a feather

D so called officer should xplain how he get that kind money to risk himself all d way,he should be thoroghly interogated because he still av many hiden some were.

Typical foolish behavour of our police.What stops him from identifing himslf properly(since he's not on uniform)at the customs check point and save himslef from all these madness

heavylaro: Typical foolish behavour of our police.What stops him from identifing himslf properly(since he's not on uniform)at the customs check point and save himslef from all these madness

did you even read it?? the guy tried explaining, but was probably being pummeled in the process.. maybe we can try an experiment on you to see if you would do something different, better yet think..

Sick minds many of you here, in a civilized country with civilized citizens the custom officers would be in jail right now!! "OJ Simpson is presently doing a lengthy time in prison for just beating the thieves who stole his baseball trophy and paraphernalia from his house, and collecting it back"". Maybe y'all should think about the possibility of this happening to you; of course when this can happen to the almighty corrupt, crooked, police who are u rats??

ho i fear nigerians a police can not have 2million as his own and nigeria want better police. i pity this country. If many of u didn't know there are thousands of police who have more than that. What our policemen are getting from peacekeeping mission is a chicken change to this 2million.

so Beaf is back from mental checkup!

Tif, tif tif tin....Gbam! Nexxttt!!!

Some of us on nairaland talk lik wen we ar in de vilage. Insp. Claim of such amount is corect de world is not lik b4, even if he was havin notin nd can prov dat they must paid. What are de liabilities available 4 procuring a search wit out reason caurse? were is profesionality in de customs behavior? 2 beat a smugler? I beleiv most of us dont know de concept of law, arrest him charge him base on custom exercise & management act shikena! Y beat? Dat is unprofesional. A man can not fight six men even if he tak drugs, y claiming he was not complyin. They ar lucki neva 2 meet my type my men alone can do justice rada than their spokeman speakin tactically not knowin he is speakin wit de whole nation.