In the Idigbo community of Ogun State, Nigeria, a tragic incident occurred involving a Nigeria Immigration Service officer named Lamba and a protester named Jacob Bamgbola. Bamgbola was riding a motorcycle, carrying his niece, when he was stopped by immigration officers at a checkpoint on the Idiroko Expressway. The officers demanded a bribe of N200 (Nigerian Naira) for him to continue his journey, but Bamgbola refused, stating that he had done nothing wrong to warrant extortion.
An argument ensued between Bamgbola and the officers, and taking advantage of a moment when they were distracted, he quickly left the scene and proceeded to his sister’s place to inform the local youths about the encounter. These youths, who had also experienced similar incidents of alleged extortion by immigration officers, gathered at the house of a community chief named Moses Faleye to protest the situation.
During the protest, the immigration officers arrived at the chief’s premises, seemingly intending to disperse the demonstrators. Unfortunately, in the process, they allegedly shot and killed Bamgbola. A witness described the sequence of events, explaining that while the Baale (chief) tried to calm the situation, the officers began shooting, and one of them, known as Lamba, shot Bamgbola. Despite the youths’ efforts to rush him to the hospital, Bamgbola succumbed to his injuries and passed away.
Adesina Alabi, the head of the local vigilance group, expressed his frustration with the incident, highlighting that security personnel often engage in extortion along the road. He pointed out that various authorities, including the police, Customs officers, and immigration officers, set up checkpoints to collect money from motorists, which has become an ongoing issue.
Chief Faleye described the incident as unfortunate, stating that it should have been resolved peacefully. He explained that while he was attempting to calm the protesting youths, the immigration officers arrived and started firing shots in the air. Tragically, one of the bullets struck Bamgbola, leading to his death. The incident was reported to the Igbokofi Police Station, and the police arrived at the scene to gather statements and evidence.
Overall, this incident has sparked outrage in the community due to the alleged extortion and the tragic loss of Jacob Bamgbola’s life during the protest.
