Hamza Abdullahi-Elenwo, a dedicated officer of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), lost his life after being struck by a vehicle driven by suspected smugglers in Jigawa State.
The tragic incident occurred on Friday during a routine stop-and-search operation at Achilafia, along the Daura-Kano road.
According to Isah Sulaiman, spokesperson for the Customs Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone B, Kaduna, the officer was attempting to intercept a suspected smuggled vehicle when the driver tried to evade arrest, knocking him down in the process.
The late Abdullahi-Elenwo was rushed to the General Hospital Kazaure and later transferred to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Katsina, where he sadly succumbed to his injuries.
The Customs spokesman lamented the incident, highlighting the dangers faced by Customs officers in their tireless efforts to combat smuggling.
The deceased officer, who joined the NCS in October 2013 and was promoted to Inspector of Customs in 2022, is survived by his wife and two children. He was a native of Rivers State.
A suspect has been detained in connection with the incident.
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