Three women have been taken in for questioning following the mysterious death of a Customs officer, Assistant Superintendent of Customs (ASC) Lawal Tukur, who was found lifeless in a hotel room in Katsina State on Wednesday, October 15.
The incident occurred at Murjani Hotel in the Katsina metropolis, where the officer had lodged. According to reports by counterinsurgency expert Zagazola Makama, hotel staff discovered the officer’s body around 8:30 a.m. and promptly alerted the management and security operatives.
Sources at the hotel disclosed 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 incident.
It was gathered that Khadija and Aisha reportedly spent the night with the deceased officer, while Hafsat joined them later and also lodged in the same hotel.
When hotel workers entered the room the next morning, they reportedly found empty sachets of suspected substances in a wastebasket, sparking suspicions about the circumstances surrounding the officer’s death.
The body of ASC Tukur was taken to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Katsina, where a medical doctor confirmed him dead. It has since been deposited at the mortuary for autopsy to determine the cause of death.
Authorities have notified the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) of the development. Police sources said investigations are ongoing to unravel the events leading up to the officer’s death and the possible roles of the three women.
