In a tragic incident, Hamza Elenwo, an Inspector of Customs, was killed during a stop and search operation at Achilafia along Daura-Kano Road in Jigawa State.
The incident, which occurred on Friday, was confirmed by Isah Sulaiman, the spokesman of the Federal Operations Unit Zone B of the Nigeria Customs Service.
According to Sulaiman, the fatal event transpired when a driver, suspected of smuggling a vehicle into the country, struck Elenwo while trying to evade arrest.
The injured officer was immediately rushed to the General Hospital Kazaure and subsequently transferred to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Katsina, where he was pronounced dead by the attending doctor.
Inspector Hamza Elenwo, born on April 15, 1985, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, joined the Nigeria Customs Service as a Customs Assistant III (CAIII) in the Transport and Logistics Unit on October 17, 2013. He was promoted to the rank of Inspector of Customs (IC) in 2022. Elenwo is survived by his wife and two children. His funeral took place in Katsina according to Islamic rites.
The head of the Federal Operations Unit Zone B, Comptroller Ahmadu Shuaibu, expressed deep condolences to the bereaved family on behalf of the entire unit.
“The incident underscores the extreme desperation of smugglers who operate without regard for human life,” Shuaibu stated.
He highlighted that this is one of many instances where customs personnel have been harmed or killed by smugglers attempting to evade arrest.
The Comptroller vowed to ensure that justice is served, noting that one suspect has been apprehended and is currently in the custody of the Nigeria Police Force, Gwiwa Division in Jigawa State.
Shuaibu emphasized the commitment of the Nigeria Customs Service to combat smuggling and protect its officers, despite the risks involved.