Gunmen murder Customs officer at Kebbi checkpoint

Tragedy struck in Dandi Local Government Area of Kebbi State on Monday as a Customs officer stationed at the Fingila checkpoint was reportedly shot dead by suspected gunmen.

According to local accounts, the attackers had earlier invaded nearby farms, where they terrorized farmers. Witnesses said the gunmen not only seized food belonging to the farmers but also forced some of them to eat portions of the meals before confiscating the rest.

A resident of Fingila, Malam Abdulrasheed, confirmed the disturbing incident, describing it as another sign of the growing insecurity threatening farming communities in the state.

“They entered the farms and asked the farmers to taste the food they brought from home. After forcing them to take a bite, the gunmen ate the remaining food and told the farmers to leave, saying there would be no farming today,” Abdulrasheed recounted.

He said the armed men, numbering about seven and riding motorcycles, later moved toward the main road, where they found the Customs officer sitting near a mosque and opened fire on him.

The first shot missed, but the second struck him as he tried to flee into a maize field. A third shot fatally hit him inside the field.

Two other Customs officers, who were not in the open at the time, reportedly escaped with minor injuries after crawling through the maize field.

Locals said the slain officer was believed to be from Maiduguri, Borno State, and was known for often sitting near the mosque.

As of the time of filing this report, the Nigeria Customs Service in Kebbi State has not issued an official statement on the incident.