In a recent development that has sent shockwaves through southwestern Nigeria, Ibrahim Egungbohun Dende, reputed as the region's biggest smuggler, has been embroiled in controversy after allegedly threatening the life of an Assistant Superintendent of Customs (ASC) who thwarted his smuggling operations from Benin Republic into Nigeria.
The incident, which transpired in January, has come to light amidst the release of an undercover investigation by FIJ (Foundation for Investigative Journalism), exposing the intricate web of corruption within the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) that facilitates smuggling activities.
FIJ's exposé, titled 'Undercover as a Smuggler', was unveiled through a multimedia campaign spearheaded by Fisayo Soyombo, the organization's founder and editor-in-chief. The investigation shed light on collusion between Customs officials and smugglers, highlighting instances where bribe-taking Customs bosses allegedly betray patrol teams by tipping off smugglers about enforcement operations.
Following the release of FIJ's findings, Ibrahim Dende, commonly known as 'IBD Dende', vehemently denied any involvement in smuggling activities. His rebuttal, initially circulated through online platforms before gaining traction in traditional media outlets such as Daily Trust, ThisDay, Vanguard, Blueprint, and New Telegraph, included a petition to Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), denouncing FIJ's investigation as a targeted smear campaign aimed at tarnishing his reputation and business interests.
Accompanying Dende's defense, his publicist, Simon Fakeye, penned a piece titled 'Fisayo Soyombo: When a reporter becomes assassin', lambasting Soyombo's investigative report for lacking substantiated evidence to support allegations of Dende's involvement in smuggling.
In an additional twist to the saga, Oba Akintunde Akinyemi JP, FCIMN, the Eselu of Iselu Kingdom, issued an open letter disputing the claims made by investigative journalist Fisayo Soyombo, further fueling the ongoing debate surrounding the veracity of the allegations.
In response to the mounting scrutiny, FIJ published an exclusive report detailing the smuggling of motorcycles used by bandits and insurgents, as well as illicit drugs like tramadol, into northern Nigeria by the NCS, further implicating the agency in facilitating criminal activities.
Subsequently, FIJ obtained video footage purportedly showing Dende threatening a Customs official, identified as Rotimi, who intercepted vehicles transporting smuggled rice. The tense encounter captured Dende's menacing demeanor as he berated the Customs officer while brandishing firearms, with other Customs personnel attempting to diffuse the situation.
Amidst Dende's boasts of influential connections within the NCS hierarchy, including mentions of contacting key figures like Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, the current Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), and Hussein Ejigbunu, Comptroller of the Federal Operations Unit Zone A, the video further corroborates FIJ's earlier revelations regarding systemic corruption within the agency.
As the investigation unfolds, the spotlight remains firmly fixed on Ibrahim Dende and the broader implications of his alleged involvement in smuggling activities, underscoring the urgent need for transparency and accountability within Nigeria's law enforcement institutions.
In these @fijnigeria videos, IBD Dende, the most notorious smuggler in the South West, can be seen threatening to kill a Customs officer who seized his smuggled goods.
— 'Fisayo Soyombo (@fisayosoyombo) March 1, 2024
The officer he would have harmed had he not been restrained is an Assistant Superintendent of Customs.
Some… pic.twitter.com/rJUoa2NP5P
“I saw your oga(Custom Bosses) trailer wey carry rice, 4 trailers for Seme, what did he do about it?
— SportsDokita (Odogwu ☝️) (@Sports_Doctor2) March 1, 2024
Is he the only customs here?”
- IBD Dende challenged customs for seizing his smuggled trailers of rice.
I dislike this administration with passion, look at someone who's… pic.twitter.com/Vr1l9GI926
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