The Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone A, Ikeja, Lagos, has doled out one million naira as compensation to Patience Onoja, whose husband, Godwin Onoja was shot dead by an Assistant Superintendent of Customs, Destiny Onebamho at the Sagamu Interchange along Ijebu Ode road, Ogun State on February 17, 2019.
Sources close to the Customs FOU and the deceased said the money was paid to the widow to “take care of the funeral expenses” of the late Onoja.
The deceased, who was reportedly killed by stray bullets fired by Onebamho during an argument with some travellers who reportedly refused to part with bribe, has since been buried in his home town, Adum-Oko Orokam, Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue State.
A February 17, 2019 video, which went viral on social media, showed how Onebamho shot Onoja dead on the highway during an argument. A woman in the video had alleged that the killing was “because of N5,000” bribe allegedly demanded from the travellers in a vehicle intercepted by a Customs patrol team led by Onebamho. Angry motorists had pounced on the killer officer after he attempted to escape the scene of the incident.
Customs Public Relations Officer, Joseph Attah had in a statement said while four of the officers involved in the shooting and killing of the man had been detained, the panel set up to investigate the killing could not conclude its investigation because the officer who allegedly shot Onoja was receiving medical attention.
But speaking to SHIPS & PORTS recently, Attah said the officer is now medically fit to face the investigative panel after which the panel would conclude its investigation and recommend appropriate sanctions.
He said, “He has been released from the hospital and he has come to face his own round of investigation. His case was a matter of life and death and he was lucky to have survived it. They would have killed him but fortunately he survived. He is now medically fit to face the investigative panel.
“We will soon get to know now the outcome of the investigation now that the officer has been released from hospital. I think now that he is available, investigation will be concluded but I cannot pre-empt the investigation panel.”