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Claim: An X user, Iykay (@iykeinfos), in a viral post, claimed that on June 3, 2025, a Nigerian Customs officer shot and killed a returnee along the Lagos-Benin Expressway over a N5,000 bribe.
Verdict: Misleading. The video accompanying the claim is from February 2019 and depicts a tragic shooting incident at the Shagamu Interchange.
Full Text
Allegations of security personnel extorting civilians, physically assaulting them, or even committing extrajudicial killings are unfortunately not rare in Nigeria. Nigeria Police Force, in particular, has faced widespread criticism for recurring cases of extrajudicial killings, as seen in reports here, here, and here.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has also been accused of bribery and violence, including cases involving fatalities.
On June 4, 2025, a disturbing video went viral showing travellers physically attacking a customs officer. A woman recording the video is heard weeping, claiming the officer had just shot and killed a fellow passenger over a N5,000 bribe. The clip, which shows a lifeless body, gave no clear indication of the date or location of the incident, but viral posts quickly attributed it to June 3, 2025.
One such post by X user @iykeinfos stated, “A Customs Officer along Lagos-Benin Expressway shot and killed a returnee, for refusing to give him N5000. The passengers were all returning from the US and the UK, and going to Benin. This occurred yesterday, June 3, 2025. Please continue sharing until it reaches the highest authorities. This is what Nigeria has become — The New Nigeria is here!”
As of June 6, 2025, this post had garnered over 2,000 views, with numerous reposts and comments expressing outrage and fear.
Alexander Jacob D (@Jacob18569) wrote, “Nigeria is such a scary place while Balatic (@Balatic) questioned, “What kind of anarchy is this? When will Nigerians rise and say enough is enough?”
Another user, AFRICA (@egbul2), tagged foreign authorities, directing blame towards international silence. AFRICA wrote, “@alexstubb and @FinGovernment see the country you are protecting and charging innocent Biafra as a terrorist.”
A Facebook page, Prince Ozide Page, also projected the same narrative, claiming it happened on the same date, June 3, 2025.
We also found that the claim is going viral on WhatsApp.
DUBAWA conducted a fact-check due to the virality of the claims and their potential to incite public outrage or unrest.
Verification
DUBAWA conducted a keyword search for official statements from the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and found a press statement dated June 3, 2025, addressing the claim on its verified X handle, NIGERIA CUSTOMS (@CustomsNG).
The agency stated that the incident captured in the video happened on February 17, 2019.
“Following the ugly occurrence at the Shagamu Interchange in Ogun State, the Service took immediate steps to address the situation in line with its internal procedures. A public statement was issued at the time, and a disciplinary panel was established to thoroughly investigate the matter. At the end of the process, appropriate sanctions were applied, including the dismissal of the officers found culpable,” the statement read.
“It is pertinent to reiterate that the NCS is a statutory government agency guided by rules of engagement and, therefore, will not condone any misconduct from its personnel. While the video may have resurfaced unexpectedly, the issue had been conclusively addressed, and justice was served in accordance with the Service’s regulations.”
To further investigate the claim and statement by the NCS, we conducted a reverse image search on keyframes from the viral video to trace its origin. The results revealed that the footage first surfaced on Feb. 17, 2019, showing a tragic incident where a customs officer fatally shot a man identified as Godwin Onoja.
Reputable media reports from the time, including Premium Times, Punch Newspaper, and The Nation, confirmed that the shooting occurred on Feb. 17, 2019. The then Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd.), reportedly ordered an immediate investigation and detained four patrol team members.
According to Premium Times, NCS Spokesperson Joseph Attah stated in 2019, “The officers involved are being interrogated. We’re examining it holistically, including weapon-handling practices. Our position is that the deceased was not a passenger, but a ‘friend of Customs’ who had often assisted our officers. He was unfortunately killed by an accidental discharge.”
According to a February 2019 NCS statement, the officer whose rifle discharged, ASCI Destiny Onebamho, was said to have been hospitalised following an attack by eyewitnesses during the incident.
Although there are no records of any actual disciplinary action, the NCS insists appropriate action was eventually taken.
Conclusion
The viral video claiming a customs officer shot and killed a returnee on June 3, 2025, over a N5,000 bribe is misleading. The video, which is six years old, shows an incident that occurred on February 17, 2019, at the Shagamu Interchange in Ogun State. While the 2019 incident involved a fatal shooting and remains a controversial case, there is no evidence linking it to a recent event as claimed.
