There was pandemonium at the AYA Roundabout, Abuja Office of Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIOs) last week as some Customs officers stormed the place and attacked the officer in charge.
Amid shootings, some VIOs countered the attack. Sticks and stones were freely used by the gladiators.
The belligerent Customs officers were later arrested by men of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) who intervened when the situation was getting out of hand.
In the free for all, some of the combatants were injured.
In a statement, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) condemned the aggression of the officers.
A video that has gone viral showed the fighters attacking themselves.
Policemen were also seen firing teargas to restore normalcy.
The arrested officers were handed over to the NCS for disciplinary purposes.
The NCS, in a statement, said the officers involved are from Customs Mechanical Unit in Karu Barracks, Abuja.
The statement, signed by the National Public Relations Officer of NCS, Abdullahi Maiwada, on behalf of the Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, said the service does not condone such behaviour.
Maiwada, a Chief Superintendent of Customs, said in the statement: “Our attention has been drawn to a video circulating on social media showing some officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in a confrontation with Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO). The NCS acknowledges that the event occurred on Friday, 24 May 2024, at AYA Roundabout, Abuja VIO Office. The officers involved in this regrettable incident are NCS personnel attached to the Customs Mechanical Unit in Karu Barracks, Abuja.
“The Service wishes to express its deepest concern and empathy for those affected by this regrettable incident. Furthermore, the NCS unequivocally dissociate itself from the actions of these officers. Their condemned behaviour, which appears to be self-motivated, is under thorough investigation, and appropriate disciplinary measures will be taken to forestall future occurrences.
“It is essential to state that this incident contradicts the values and operational standards of the NCS. Such behaviour undermines one of the key policy thrusts of the Comptroller-General of Customs, which is to foster collaboration with sister security agencies and other stakeholders to ensure the safety and security of Nigerians and their properties.
“The NCS, under the leadership of CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR and his Management Team, strongly condemns such conduct and does not tolerate any actions that jeopardise the commitment to professionalism and inter-agency cooperation. The Service remains steadfast in its mission to generate revenue, facilitate trade, and suppress smuggling to support a more robust and secure economy for all Nigerians”.
