Lawmaker Cries Out Against Another Customs Senseless Killing In His Constituency

By Debby Olutayo

OWODE-YEWA: The honourable representing Yewa South/Ipokia Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, Hon. Kolawole Lawal Moboluwaduro, fondly called KLM has condemned the continued killings of innocent citizens in his constituency by the Custom officers.

According to a press release e-signed and made available to StarTrend Int’l magazine & www.startrendinternational.com by Hon Kolawole Lawal, the incident which took place on Friday, May 1, 2020, at Owode-Yewa of Ogun State sniffed out life from Master Ridwan Bello, a young and promising SS2 student of Area Community High School, Owode-Yewa, Ogun State.

His words, “Today, yet again, I was informed of another gruesome killing of one of my constituents – Master Ridwan Bello, a young and promising SS2 student of Area Community High School, Owode – Yewa was killed after being hit by a stray bullet from indiscriminate and senseless sporadic shooting by one of the Custom officers who purportedly carried out a raid in a house in Owode-Yewa around 8am.

“I must say that this is not what a parent should experience at any time. Our prayers at all times as parents are that our children should bury us and not the other way round. And certainly, this is not what I, as your Rep and as a parent, like to hear or see happen to any of my constituents – regardless of age or gender.

“My heart is heavy and I feel sad that this recklessness is recurring so soon, after the recent unfortunate incidence at Agosasa in Ipokia local government area, and in spite of the efforts taken to ensure that this does not happen again, we are sick and tired of our people being decimated by ‘assassins in uniform”.

Hon. Lawal stated further that, “This sad incident has highlighted the fact boldly that the Men of Nigeria Customs need re-training in carrying out that their statutory duties. They have demonstrated now and again, that perhaps some of them are not mentally fit to handle live ammunitions and should not be entrusted with same.

“This gruesome killing has also demonstrated that perhaps it was high time that security officers who statutorily bear arms in the discharge of their duties need to be medically evaluated and certified mentally stable by Psychiatrists before being issued with live arms and ammunitions.

“There are better and trusted ways of enforcing law and order within the civilian populace other than with arms and ammunitions.”

He however said that, “While I commiserate with the family of the deceased, I will like to plead for calm and restraint from the good people of my constituency. I will not waver nor relent until sanity is brought within the rank and file of the security agents who ought to, and should treat every citizen of this country with dignity and respect for lives.

“I appreciate the growing and frustrating concerns of our people who hold the view that we have not matched our words with action in the previous incidents.

“Let me assure you that I will use the instrument of my office and all legislative processes in not only pushing for reforms within the law enforcement agencies domiciled in our constituency, but also in working relentlessly to ensure that all the culprits are brought to justice in other to forestall future reoccurrences of this dastardly act.”