A Customs officer identified as H. Daboh attached to the Muhammmed Airport, MMA, Lagos on Thursday April 28th beat up a staff of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN at the Monument Gate of the airport.

The injured FAAN staff was rushed to the Air Force hospital after the assault on him.

It was gathered that the Customs officer who was in mufti attempted to gain access to the Monument Gate through the exit thereby leading to gridlock on the road, but was challenged by the FAAN staff, Mr. Taiwo Adeyanju who was in company of some of his colleagues who were on their way out of the Monument Gate at around 9:40am before he was attacked with teargas severally in the eyes by the Customs staff, Daboh for daring to challenge his wrong driving.

Eyewitness account stated that it took the intervention of some workers at the complex and the personnel of the Nigeria Police attached to the airport before Adeyanju could be successfully rescued from Daboh who rained several fixed blow attacks on his face and other parts of his body.
It was further gathered that when Daboh realised the magnitude of his offence, he attempted to run away and drove directly to the office of the Customs at the airport, but he was given a hot chase by some workers at the airport.
Daboh was later arrested and taken to the police station at the airport where his senior officers intervened and ensured his released.
The battered staff of FAAN was immediately rushed to the FAAN’s clinic at the airport where he was referred to the Air Force Hospital for better treatment as a result of the massive beating he received and teargas he received from Daboh.
Speaking on his odeal in the hands of the Customs officer at the airport at the Air Force Hospital, Adeyanju said the intention of the Customs officer was to blind him totally if not for the intervention of others at the venue of the incident.
Even Adeyanju’s car, a Volkswagen Gulf with the registration number Lagos: EPE 136 BK was partially damaged by the officer.
He said, “The Customs officer was in mufti when the incident happened this morning. I was driving out of the Hajj and Cargo Terminal through the exit point when I saw a vehicle driving in through the exit point. I actually challenged him, but I was still inside the car and all of a sudden, the man I later gathered was a Customs officer came out and rained blows on me.
As I am making attempt to come out of the car, he held me by the neck and brought out a teargas and sprayed it directly into my eyes. It took the intervention of passers-by before I could be rescued from his grip. Later, he attempted to run away, but he was chased by some of my colleagues right into the Customs complex.”
Also, the Chief Cargo Officer of FAAN, Mr. Benson Oweka confirmed the incident at the hospital.
He said the department received a distress call that one of its staff was being beaten by Customs at the Monument Gate and before they could rush down to the place, Daboh had battered Adeyanju.
“When we got to the place of the incident, Daboh was in the company of his other Customs officer. He attempted to run away and drove to the Customs complex, but we caught up with him at the complex and he was later taken to the police station at the airport”, Mr Oweka stated.
It will be recalled that last September, about five FAAN Aviation Security, AVSEC staff were beaten to a pulp by the officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, for barring them from accessing the restricted areas of the airport without the required On-Duty-Cards, ODCs.
Also, June last year, another five FAAN staff were beaten by Customs officers at the terminal of the international wing of the Lagos Airport.