By: Manoah Kikekon
BADAGRY, LAGOS – Tension is mounting within the Badagry border community following an incident early Sunday morning, May 17, 2026, where operative forces of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Seme Border Command, allegedly caused a near-fatal accident and abandoned the victim to secure seized contraband.
The incident occurred at approximately 6:30 AM along the busy Joseph Dosu Way, just past the Beach Town Mall, a prominent commercial route within the historic town.
According to local reports, a commercial motorcycle rider (Okada) was transporting six bags of rice from the Badagry Market inward to the Badagry Roundabout. Simultaneously, a patrol team of Customs officers was driving in the opposite direction, moving from the roundabout toward the main town.
An eyewitness who watched the scene unfold recounted the terrifying moments leading up to the crash:
"When the Customs officers sighted the motorcycle rider with the rice, the officers drove directly facing him, trying to block him on high speed. This caused a head-on collision that threw the rider straight into the concrete gutter, where he sustained fatal injuries."
The community’s outrage stems not just from the pursuit itself, but from the actions of the officers immediately following the impact. Rather than providing first aid or moving the critically injured man to the nearby General Hospital, the officers allegedly prioritized the contraband.
"Instead of attending to the dying man or pulling him out of the gutter, the Customs officers simply packed the bags of rice into their vehicle and sped away, leaving him battling for his life in a pool of blood," the eyewitness added.
Passersby and fellow commercial riders later rushed the unconscious victim to a medical facility, where he remains in critical condition.
This latest incident highlights a long-standing grievance among the residents of the Badagry. Locals have repeatedly criticized the operational methods of the Nigeria Customs Service, questioning why aggressive tactical interceptions and seizures are carried out deep within residential areas and inner-town roads rather than at the active Seme border posts.