2 killed, 5 cars burnt in clash between community, Customs officers in Jigawa

NORMALCY has returned to Babura, the hometown of Governor Muhammadu Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State, after several hours of a fracas between people of the town and customs personnel.

Reports from the state indicated that the people of the town were provoked by the customs officers in the Nigeria/Niger Republic border town (Babura) after one of the customs officers allegedly shot to death a 60-year-old man identified as Alhaji Umaru Babban Mutum, and his driver.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that the Babura people who became embittered on sighting the lifeless body of Alhaji Umaru, descended on the customs officers.

Report from the state indicated that the deceased was involved in a fierce argument with the customs officials stationed at the border after impounding a car he allegedly imported through the Niger Republic.

Immediately the news of the death filtered round town, a mob numbering about 500 mobilised themselves and from a distance of 4 kilometres from Babban Mutum from Katsina State‎ carrying weapons, attacked all the five Customs checkpoints and burnt them down, while four cars belonging to the officers were also completely burnt.

According to the Babura local council, Chairman Alhaji Mohammed Ibrahim Zaki, who told our reporter that the mob went to the police station threatening to set it ablaze until the DPO convinced them that the Customs officials had been arrested but not in their custody.

‎The deceased has since been buried by his relatives at Babban Mutum under Baure local government area in the state.

When contacted, the Jigawa/Kano Area Command Controller of Customs was not available in the office and was also not reachable by phone.

Also the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the command, Mrs Isah Danbaba, who confirmed the incident when contacted, said: “We will investigate the matter for further necessary action.”

A source in the command who spoke to our reporter on condition of anonymity said “it was really unfortunate, they burnt five of our vehicles both official and private were burnt.

He also stated that “all our camps and checkpoints and attacked our personnel”.