The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it has begun investigating its officers caught on tape assaulting a civilian on a highway.
The officers were caught on camera while on duty on Saturday, May 7 along Benin-Agbor Expressway assaulting a man identified as Samson Nwachuckwu, a special assistant to Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa. One of the officers slapped Mr Nwachukwu. The reason for the scuffle was not immediately clear.
The video has since generated outrage from the public.
Reacting to the incident, NCS spokesperson Timi Bomodi in a statement on Monday said the officials at the entire zone have been withdrawn from patrol duties and are being probed in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
“This officer and other members of that team from FOU Zone ‘C’ have since been withdrawn from patrol duties and are currently under administrative investigation at the NCS Zonal Headquarters Zone ‘C’ Port Harcourt,” the statement said.
Bomodi assured that “officers of the Nigeria Customs Service have been trained to carry out their duties with dignity and respect, and are expected to display decorum in all their conduct at all times.”
He added, “Where they fail to carry out their brief as assigned, appropriate sanctions are applied to enforce discipline. The NCS would like to reassure the general public of its commitment to the welfare and safety of all citizens and frowns seriously at any act by its personnel capable of misrepresenting its corporate image.”
