Federal lawmakers in the House of Representatives on Tuesday queried and directed the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) to Stop the incessant killings of residents in the border towns of Gaga, Wurno, Tangaza, Wammako and Kware in Sokoto State.
The House also directed its committee on Customs to conduct a holistic investigation into the matter and report back to the House within 2 weeks.
The resolution of the House came on the heels of a motion on matters of urgent public importance sponsored by Abdullahi Salame, (APC, Sokoto).
Salame alleged in the motion that, “the Customs men have caused a lot of serious accidents in various towns and villages of the area as a result of pursuing vehicles suspected to be carrying smuggled goods.
“These have led to the loss of many lives and properties”, he said.
The Lawmaker said since the beginning of these incidents, there has not been any investigation to ascertain the rate of killings and the worth of properties lost for enable compensation to be paid to families.
Salame added that “if these killings do not stop, it would likely lead to a breakdown of law and order in the affected areas, adding that it would also put at risk the lives and properties of the public and law enforcement personnel working in the towns.
The lower legislative House further directed that unnecessary road blocks by security agencies should be dismantled citing it as an avenue for the exploitation of Nigerians.