A suspected smuggler has fatally shot an officer of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in Jigawa State.
According to the spokesman of the Federal Operations Unit Zone B of the NCS, Isah Sulaiman, the victim, Hamza Elenwo, an Inspector of Customs, was killed on Friday during a stop-and-search operation at Achilafia along the Daura-Kano Road.
The incident occurred when a driver of a vehicle, suspected to be smuggled into the country, hit the officer while trying to evade arrest. The late Customs operative was rushed to the General Hospital Kazaure and later transferred to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Katsina, where he was pronounced dead by the doctor on duty.
Inspector Hamza Elenwo, who hailed from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, was laid to rest in Katsina according to Islamic rites. Born on April 15, 1985, he joined the Nigeria Customs Service as Customs Assistant III (CAIII) in the Transport and Logistics Unit on October 17, 2013, and was promoted to the rank of Inspector of Customs (IC) in 2022. He is survived by his wife and two children.
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The Head of Federal Operations Unit Zone B, Comptroller Ahmadu Shuaibu, extended his heartfelt condolences to the deceased’s family and prayed for his eternal rest. He noted that the incident highlights the level of desperation among smugglers, who operate without regard for human lives.
The Comptroller emphasized that this tragic event is one of many instances where smugglers have killed and maimed NCS personnel in attempts to evade arrest.
He vowed to ensure justice is served, revealing that one suspect has been arrested and is currently in the custody of the Nigeria Police Force, Gwiwa Division in Jigawa State.
