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Customs officials beat Ogun NNPC station attendants over N100

Published

2 years ago

July 2, 2024

Customs officials beat Ogun NNPC station attendants over N100

Officials of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) assaulted staff members of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) filling station at the Honda Bus Stop in Ota, Ogun State, on Friday, FIJ has gathered.

FIJ learned that the customs officers took umbrage and threatened to shoot after a staff member of the filling station asked for N100 charges for their transaction on the point-of-sale machine.

An eyewitness said that the angry Nigerian customs officers beat up the NNPC’s station supervisor and injured a customer.

She said that the point-of-sale merchant at the station had told the customs officers, who wanted to fill up their tank with fuel worth N30,000, that if they paid with an ATM card all at once, they would have to add N100 for bank charges.

According to the eyewitness, the attendant explained that if the officers were willing to allow her to withdraw N15,000 twice, they would incur no charges, as only transactions of N20,000 and above attracted such.

“As the officers were arguing with the lady, the male attendant trying to sell the fuel to the officers chimed in to explain that the filling station was not benefiting from the charges, as it belongs to Moniepoint, the filling station’s bank, but that made their hackles rise,” the eyewitness said.

“They got so angry that one of them hit the male attendant with a gun. In an attempt to parry the gun, he sustained an injury to his arm. In fear, the attendant ran away.”

She said the customs officers asked the PoS merchant, who was now afraid, not to leave. At that point, she said, the officers then began pointing the gun at other filling station attendants, saying, “You’re all thieves. Is that what Nigeria asked you to do?”

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The officers began to cock their guns and charge at everyone at the filling station, so both customers and staffers fled the premises, except a customer who had a flat tyre.

“They beat the customer and broke his phone. They said he was recording them, but he was only calling someone to bring some tyres to him. He had to beg them, rolling on the floor, before they let him go,” she said.

“And while doing this, they kept asking for the manager of the filling station. At this time, she didn’t face them but ran to a nearby police station to report the matter. In place of the manager, they beat the supervisor, thinking he was the general manager.

“They started saying they came here and asked the attendants to sell inside kegs but they refused and now wanted to collect money for charges. They called the attendants thieves.”

She said that the filling station’s general manager returned from the Obasanjo Onipanu police station with four policemen.

The team leader of the police spoke with the commander of the customs officers.

“After their discussion, the police officer told her to forgive the erring officers. She immediately said the action of the customs officers was unfair because her staffers did nothing wrong,” the eyewitness said.

“They then asked her why she didn’t show up when they were asking for the manager of the filling station. She told them it was impossible to confront them at the time as the manager because they were armed, which was why she reported to the police instead.

“One of the customs officers said, ‘As you have reported, what do you now want to happen? We cocked our guns, so what do you want to do?’ While they were shouting, people took her away from their midst and back to the station. When they were ready to buy, the attendants refused to sell to them, so they just had to leave the compound.”

Based on the eyewitness’ discussions with the attendants, she believed that the customs officers acted irresponsibly because, on the previous Monday and Tuesday, they refused to sell fuel to them in jerrycans.

When FIJ called the Nigeria Customs Service via the phone number displayed on its Facebook page, they said they had yet to hear of this matter. They asked this reporter to go to the Ogun State Command of the Nigeria Customs Service for information.

Customs officials beat Ogun NNPC station attendants over N100

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Grand Chief Imam of Oyo Land Seeks Stronger Security Collaboration with NSCDC

Published

5 hours ago

April 29, 2026

Trends Admin

Grand Chief Imam of Oyo Land Seeks Stronger Security Collaboration with NSCDC

The Grand Chief Imam of Oyo Land, Sheikh Al-Imam (Barrister) Bilal Husayn Akinola Akeugberu, has called for enhanced collaboration between religious leaders and security agencies to strengthen peace and security across Oyo State.

Sheikh Akeugberu made the call on Tuesday during a courtesy visit to the Oyo State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) at its headquarters in Agodi, Ibadan, where he was received by the State Commandant, Augustine Padonu.

Grand Chief Imam of Oyo Land Seeks Stronger Security Collaboration with NSCDC

The Grand Imam said the engagement was aimed at deepening cooperation between faith-based institutions and security operatives in addressing emerging security challenges and promoting peaceful coexistence in communities.

He stressed the importance of unity among stakeholders in maintaining societal stability, noting that religious leaders have a critical role to play in promoting intelligence sharing, conflict resolution, and community awareness.

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Sheikh Akeugberu also commended the NSCDC for its efforts in safeguarding lives and protecting critical national assets, describing the Corps as a key pillar in Nigeria’s internal security framework.

He assured the Command of continued support from the Muslim community in Oyo State, particularly in promoting peacebuilding initiatives and grassroots collaboration aimed at improving security outcomes.

In his response, Commandant Augustine Padonu expressed appreciation for the visit, describing it as timely and significant in strengthening community-security relations.

Padonu reiterated the Corps’ readiness to work closely with religious leaders and other stakeholders to enhance security awareness and improve engagement at the grassroots level.

He emphasized the importance of trust, cooperation, and mutual respect in achieving sustainable peace, assuring that the NSCDC would remain committed to its mandate of protecting citizens and maintaining law and order.

The visit ended with a mutual commitment by both parties to deepen collaboration in the interest of peace, stability, and development across Oyo State.

Grand Chief Imam of Oyo Land Seeks Stronger Security Collaboration with NSCDC

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Tinubu Removes NMDPRA Chief Saidu Mohammed Months After Appointment

Published

6 hours ago

April 29, 2026

Trends Admin

Tinubu Removes NMDPRA Chief Saidu Mohammed Months After Appointment

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has removed Mr Saidu Mohammed as the Authority Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), just months after his appointment, in a major shake-up within Nigeria’s petroleum regulatory leadership.

The President has also nominated Mr Rabiu Abdullahi Umar as the new Chief Executive of the agency, subject to Senate confirmation.

According to a statement by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, the decision was taken “in the public interest” and in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021.

The statement explained that the move is aimed at strengthening regulatory efficiency and improving governance in the midstream and downstream petroleum sector under the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Pending Senate confirmation of the new nominee, the most senior officer in the NMDPRA will oversee the agency in an acting capacity.

The Presidency also thanked the outgoing Authority Chief Executive, Saidu Mohammed, for his service and wished him success in his future endeavours.

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Mr Rabiu Abdullahi Umar, the newly nominated head of the agency, is described as a seasoned energy executive with over 25 years of experience across the energy, manufacturing, and infrastructure sectors. He is noted for expertise in strategic leadership, operational transformation, and large-scale project delivery.

He holds a degree in Accounting from Bayero University and is also an alumnus of Harvard Business School.

His nomination comes months after Tinubu initially submitted Mohammed’s name to the Senate for confirmation following leadership changes in key petroleum regulatory agencies. At the time, Mohammed had been expected to lead the NMDPRA, while another nominee was proposed for the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

Mohammed, a chemical engineer with decades of experience in the oil and gas sector, previously served in senior positions within the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) structure, including Managing Director roles at the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company and the Nigerian Gas Company. He also participated in several national gas infrastructure projects.

The latest development is part of ongoing restructuring within Nigeria’s oil and gas regulatory framework under the Petroleum Industry Act, which has seen changes in leadership across key agencies.

The Senate is expected to consider the nomination of Rabiu Umar in the coming days as part of its confirmation process.

Tinubu Removes NMDPRA Chief Saidu Mohammed Months After Appointment

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Police Order Dismissal, Prosecution of Officers Over Effurun Killing

Published

6 hours ago

April 29, 2026

Trends Admin

police officer kills handcuffed suspect in Delta

Police Order Dismissal, Prosecution of Officers Over Effurun Killing

The Nigeria Police Force has ordered the dismissal and prosecution of officers involved in the extrajudicial killing of 28-year-old Mene Ogidi in Effurun, Delta State, describing the incident as “criminal and unprofessional” and inconsistent with police standards of engagement.

Addressing journalists at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, said the April 26 incident was unacceptable and reaffirmed that no officer has the authority to take the law into their own hands regardless of the circumstances.

The IGP confirmed that the principal suspect, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Nuhu Usman, along with other officers involved in the operation, have been transferred from the Delta State Command to Abuja to face disciplinary proceedings. He added that the Force Disciplinary Committee (FDC) has already taken up the case.

He further disclosed that three inspectors who were part of the operation have been subjected to an Orderly Room Trial as part of internal disciplinary procedures to determine their individual levels of involvement.

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According to the police leadership, investigations established that ASP Usman violated Force Order 247, which governs the use of firearms, as well as other standard operational procedures regulating police conduct during arrests and engagements with suspects.

The Force has recommended the immediate dismissal of all officers found culpable in the incident. It also directed that they be handed over to appropriate judicial authorities for prosecution over unlawful homicide after their removal from service. The recommendations have been forwarded to the Police Service Commission for final approval.

The Inspector-General distanced the institution from the actions of the officers, stressing that they acted outside official rules and the core mandate of the Nigeria Police Force. He stated firmly that “no uniform is a licence to kill” and reiterated the Force’s zero-tolerance stance on abuse of power and extrajudicial conduct.

He also extended condolences to the family of the deceased and assured Nigerians that justice would be served transparently. The IGP urged residents of Delta State and the general public to remain calm and avoid taking the law into their own hands while investigations and disciplinary actions continue.

The police leadership said the case reflects ongoing efforts to strengthen accountability within the Force and ensure that officers who violate professional standards face appropriate sanctions.