that Bamgbola was riding a motorcycle with his sister’s daughter to a community location when some immigration officers at a checkpoint on the Idiroko Expressway stopped him at the Ijowun end and demanded N200 before allowing him to continue his journey.
Our correspondent learned that Bamgbola refused to comply with the officers’ request, claiming that he had not committed any wrongdoing that would have justified him being allegedly extorted N200.
Benjamin took advantage of the fact that not a lot of attention was being paid to him and zoomed off while some of the officers were busy questioning other motorists. The situation resulted in an argument.
On arriving at his sister’s place, Bamgbola dropped his niece and continued to illuminate a few young people locally about his experience with the movement officials.
Our correspondent was informed by a community source that the youths, some of whom had also had similar encounters on the road that bordered on alleged extortion by immigration officers, brought other youths to Moses Faleye’s house to protest the development.
According to the source, the immigration officers stormed the premises during the protest and allegedly shot Bamgbola to death while attempting to disperse the protesters.
He said, “Bamgbola went to convey his sister’s girl and returning, he met movement officials out and about. Those officials are consistently there at the designated spot. He refused their offer to give them N200 when they stopped him.
He explained to them that he was a villager’s son and questioned why he should pay them anything. He complained to some youths after he left, and the youths gathered at the Baale’s house to voice their displeasure with the officers’ actions.
“However, the immigration officers arrived in a van within a few minutes. While the Baale was attempting to calm the situation, they began shooting, and one of them, known as Lamba, shot Bamgbola. When Bamgbola passed away, the youths were hurrying him to the hospital.
Adesina Alabi, who is in charge of the town’s vigilance group, voiced her displeasure with the development by stating that road users were frequently taken advantage of by security personnel.
“Come to this side of the road to see how officers from the police, immigration, customs, and other agencies would simply set up roadblocks and demand money from motorists. He stated, “It is getting to be too much.”
When contacted, Falaye stated that the circumstances surrounding Bamgbola’s death were unfortunate and that the dispute ought to have been settled amicably.
“It happened in front of my house,” he stated. Youths from the town came to express their displeasure with the activities of our community’s immigration officers.
“While I was attempting to pacify them, some migration officials came and when they saw the young people, they began to shoot in the air. One person was shot and killed during the process.
“The case was reported at the Igbokofi Police Station after the incident, and the policemen came with cameras and took our statements.”
SP Omolola Odutola of the state Police Public Relations stated to our correspondent that she was unaware of the case but promised to investigate and respond.
At the time this report was written, she had not yet done so.
Olajide Oshifeso, the state’s NIS spokesperson, responded, “The matter is already being investigated, and when it is completed, details of the matter would be made public.” when contacted.
