An officer of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), identified as Assistant Superintendent of Customs Lawal Tukur, has reportedly died after lodging in a hotel room in Katsina metropolis.
The incident, which occurred on Wednesday at Murjani Hotel, Katsina, has sparked an ongoing investigation by security agencies.
Reports indicated on Thursday that three women — Khadija Ali (34) of Dutsin Amare Quarters, Katsina; Aisha Lawal (30) of Ingawa Local Government Area; and Hafsat Yusuf (22) of Brigade Quarters, Kano — were at the hotel during the time of the incident.
Sources said Khadija and Aisha spent the night with the deceased, while Hafsat joined them later and also lodged in the same hotel.
The officer was later confirmed dead at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina, where his body was taken after being discovered lifeless in the hotel room.
It was gathered that the state command of the NCS had been notified, though the cause of death remains unknown pending the outcome of an autopsy.
Efforts to reach the spokesperson of the NCS command in the state, ASC1 Bello Isah, and the Katsina State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abubakar Aliyu, were unsuccessful as both had yet to respond to inquiries as of press time.
A security source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the incident, saying,
“Yes, the incident happened and we are investigating it, but it is not what other media outlets had earlier reported. I know evidence will soon be out once the police conclude their investigation. And, specifically, the proprietor of the hotel, alongside some management staff and those who were on duty late Tuesday and Wednesday when the officer died, together with the three alleged ladies who were said to have been with the deceased, are with the police in the state to help in the investigation.”
The body of the deceased has been deposited at the Federal Teaching Hospital mortuary in Katsina for autopsy as part of the ongoing investigation.
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