By CHIAZO OGBOLU

The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) Western Marine Command (WMC), on Wednesday said it lost an officer in a boat mishap on Monday.

The Public Relations Officer, Idaho Sulaiman, disclosed this in a statement in Lagos.

He said that the incident occurred at about 1810hrs, March 22, while operatives of the command, Akere Surveillance/Monitoring team under Idiroko Outstation, were acting on credible information along Vawhe-Isalu creeks.

Sulaiman said that the team, led by Inspector of Customs (IC) Ajayi AS, had the mishap while trying to intercept a boat suspected to be carrying smuggled items.

“The accident resulted to the death of Assistant Inspector of Customs (AIC) Aliyu AA by drowning.

“The body of the deceased was found underneath the river with the assistance of villagers around the axis.

“The body was taken to General Hospital Badagry and later deposited at the mortuary, having been certified dead by the doctor on call.

“The corpse was transported by air on-board MAX air airline to Kano on March 23, on the request of the family of the deceased,” he said.

He said that the deceased, who hailed from Funtua Local Government Area of Katsina was was born on July 10, 1987.

According to him, Aliyu joined the NCS on Oct. 17, 2013 as Customs Assistant II (CAII) and got promoted to the rank of AIC on Jan. 1, 2019.

“At this trying time, the Customs Area Controller, on behalf of the officers/men of the WMC, commiserate with the family of the deceased and pray for the repose of his soul and also for God to grant the deceased eternal rest,” he said. (NAN)