A Customs officer, identified as Assistant Superintendent of Customs (ASC) Lawal Tukur, was found dead in a hotel room in Katsina metropolis under circumstances that have raised public concern.
The incident occurred on October 15 at Murjani Hotel, Katsina, where the officer had reportedly checked in the previous night. According to hotel staff, Tukur’s lifeless body was discovered at about 8:30 a.m., prompting immediate calls to the authorities.
Sources at the hotel told journalists that empty sachets of unidentified substances were found in the waste bin inside the room, though the nature of the substances has not yet been confirmed.
Three women — Khadija Ali (34) of Dutsin Amare Quarters, Aisha Lawal (30) from Ingawa Local Government Area, and Hafsat Yusuf (22) of Brigade Quarters, Kano — were said to have been in the hotel at the time of the incident.
Preliminary reports indicate that Khadija and Aisha allegedly spent the night with the deceased, while Hafsat arrived later and also lodged at the hotel.
The officer’s remains were conveyed to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Katsina, where he was confirmed dead by a medical doctor. His body has since been deposited at the hospital mortuary for autopsy.
Officials of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in Katsina have been notified, while police and medical authorities have commenced investigations to determine the exact cause of death.
