Ilorin — Two officers of the Nigeria Customs Service have been killed in a confrontation with suspected Lakurawa terrorists in Kebbi State.
Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, who disclosed this, said the incident happened on Wednesday morning.
The slain operatives identified as Assistant Superintendent of Customs Bamigboye and Deputy Superintendent of Customs Dom, were said to have died during a counter-offensive operation against the armed group around 3am.
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Adeniyi disclosed the development in Ilorin while delivering a keynote address at the fourth biennial international conference organised by the Faculty of Communication and Information Sciences, University of Ilorin.
The attackers reportedly invaded two security checkpoints in the Bagudu Local Government Area of Kebbi State.
A source, familiar with the incident, said the gunmen attacked two checkpoints that are very close to each other. They shot one officer, while they burnt the three-star officer alive.
The Customs chief described the incident as deeply painful, noting that operatives of the service have continued to play frontline roles in security operations alongside the military.
"This morning, two officers of the Nigeria Customs Service paid the supreme sacrifice while warding off threats from Lakurawa terrorists in Kebbi.
"Apart from the military, the Nigeria Customs Service remains the last shield in several of these border communities," Adeniyi said.
He, however, assured that the deaths of the officers would not weaken the resolve of the service in confronting criminal networks operating around Nigeria's borders.
Speaking on the conference theme, "Disruptive Technology: Human and Artificial Intelligence in the Digital Economy," Adeniyi said the deployment of Artificial Intelligence-driven risk management tools by the Customs Service had significantly reduced corruption and improved operational efficiency.
He said portraying Artificial Intelligence as a replacement for human capacity was misleading, stressing that human judgment and leadership remain critical in technological deployment.
Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, condoled with the Nigeria Customs Service over the deaths of the officers, describing them as patriots who died in active service to the nation.
Represented by his Special Adviser and Counsellor, Alhaji Saad Salahu, the governor highlighted several digital initiatives introduced by the state government, including innovation hubs, ICT centres and the KwaraLEARN programme aimed at expanding digital opportunities for young people.
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He also called for stronger legal and ethical frameworks to regulate the use of Artificial Intelligence.
