Customs officer who exposed ‘Booming Petrol Smuggling Business,’ others still detained a month after arrest

Owombo Segun John, a Customs officer arrested and detained for exposing how refined petroleum products, particularly Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, are trafficked into Cameroon, Chad, Niger Republic, and other African countries, has yet to be released by the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS).

This was confirmed to SaharaReporters on Monday morning by his brother, who explained that Owombo said he was only granted freedom to move within the premises of the Nigerian Customs Service in Abuja.

Owombo earlier released a video in which he narrated how he arrested so many smugglers on Wednesday, November 2, at Malabo Checkpoint on Belel Road, Adamawa state.

He however said senior officials of the NCS called and directed him to release the suspects.

His brother, however, explained that Owombo is still in detention. He said Owombo informed him that he was not allowed to leave the premises and that all of his gadgets had been seized, and that he could only communicate with him through a small phone obtained from one of his friends.

In November, SaharaReporters reported how Owombo was transported to Abuja from Adamawa State to meet with the Comptroller General of Customs while in detention.

This was disclosed by his brother who also stated that Owombo informed him that his life was under threat.

He also described the claims by some people that his brother, Owombo is suffering from a mental disorder as untrue.

He said, “My brother is a very brilliant man. Someone that was posted to Adamawa and has been working there since, how can you now say he is insane? That is a lie. They are just trying to cover up.”

“The claim that he was found naked is also not true. He told me that immediately after he released the video, he was attacked by some customs officers and tanker drivers. He even told me that if he is allowed, he has some evidence to back up his claim,” he added.

When asked why Owombo was calling on Bola Tinubu, the ruling APC presidential candidate, in his video, he said Owombo did that due to inexperience.

“I also found that not good. He should have followed a proper channel to report what he found and not necessarily call out anybody’s name,” he said.