Fact-Check: Nigerian Customs Officer Shot Civilian in 2019, Not 2025 as Claimed in Viral Video
BY: Mustapha Lawal
Claim
A viral video shows a Nigerian Customs officer shooting and killing a civilian in June 2025 on the Lagos-Benin Expressway.
Verdict
False! The incident shown in the video occurred in February 2019, not in June 2025 as claimed. The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has publicly clarified the actual date and circumstances of the event.
Background
A disturbing video has circulated widely on Facebook since 3 June 2025, claiming to show a Nigerian Customs officer shooting and killing a civilian on the Lagos-Benin Expressway. The caption accompanying many of these posts states that the officer shot the man for refusing to pay a ₦5,000 bribe. According to one viral post, the victim was a returnee from the United States or United Kingdom heading to Benin.
The footage shows people standing near vehicles pulled over on the roadside, with visible blood on the ground. A man, believed to be the customs officer involved, appears to have been assaulted by bystanders. Another man, allegedly the victim, is seen lying in a vehicle.
The video has sparked outrage online, with users expressing anger over perceived ongoing police and customs brutality. Many social media users have reshared the video without verifying its date or context, giving the impression that the shooting is a recent incident from June 2025. The claim has been circulated across multiple platforms, including instances published here, here, here and here.
What is the Role of the Nigerian Customs Service?
The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) is a federal agency responsible for the collection of customs revenue, prevention of smuggling, and enforcement of trade regulations. Officers are stationed at borders, ports, and checkpoints across the country. While the NCS has faced criticism over allegations of misconduct and excessive use of force in the past, it remains a key institution in Nigeria’s border control system.
Verification
On 3 June 2025, shortly after the video went viral, the Nigerian Customs Service released an official statement debunking the claim. The statement categorically stated that the incident in question occurred on Sunday, 17 February 2019, not in 2025. It further clarified that the shooting took place at the Shagamu Interchange in Ogun State, not along the Lagos-Benin Expressway as widely claimed online.
A keyword search confirmed this account. Archived news reports from 2019, including an article from Punch newspaper, corroborated the NCS’s version of events. According to these reports, the customs officer shot and killed a civilian during an altercation over a ₦5,000 bribe demand from travelers returning from Europe. The news coverage at the time also mentioned public outrage and condemnation following the incident.
No credible news outlet has reported a similar shooting involving customs officers in June 2025. This strongly supports the conclusion that the viral video is being recirculated out of context to create the false impression of a recent occurrence.
Conclusion
The viral video that allegedly shows a Nigerian Customs officer shooting and killing a man in June 2025 is being shared with false context. The incident took place over six years ago, in February 2019, at Shagamu Interchange in Ogun State. The Nigerian Customs Service has officially denied any recent involvement in such an event, and archived news reports from 2019 confirm the details of the original shooting. Sharing outdated and graphic content without context can inflame public emotions, spread misinformation, and damage trust in public institutions.
