The lifeless body of a senior officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, Assistant Superintendent of Customs (ASC) Lawal Tukur, has been recovered by hotel staff after he was found dead in a room.
As learnt, the officer had checked into a hotel room where he spent the night with multiple female companions, before being discovered unresponsive the following morning.
Tukur was confirmed dead on arrival by medical personnel at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), where he was rushed after being found by staff at Murjani Hotel in the state capital around 8:30 a.m. yesterday.
According to hotel employees, Tukur failed to respond to repeated knocks on the door, prompting them to forcibly open it, only to find him lying motionless on the bed.
A hotel source told reporters that empty sachets of suspected sex-enhancing substances were discovered in the room’s waste bin, suggesting possible drug use before the incident.
“We saw some empty packets that looked like enhancers. It seems he took something to boost his strength, but we can’t say for sure,” the source said.
Three women, 35-year-old Khadija Ali, a resident of Dutsin Amare Quarters; 30-year-old Aisha Lawal from Ingawa Local Government Area; and 22-year-old Hafsat Yusuf, have been taken into custody in connection with the case.
Police investigations revealed that Khadija and Aisha spent the night with the deceased, while Hafsat reportedly joined them later and also booked a separate room at the same hotel.
Authorities say investigations are ongoing, and the women will be interrogated to determine the circumstances surrounding the officer’s death.
Confirming the development, a senior Customs officer who spoke on condition of anonymity said the command had been notified and was awaiting the outcome of the investigation.
“It’s a tragic loss for the Service. We are cooperating fully with the police to uncover the truth,” the source said.
Meanwhile, the officer’s remains have been deposited at the hospital morgue for an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.
