An officer of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Assistant Superintendent of Customs (ASC) Lawal Tukur, was discovered deceased in a hotel room within Katsina metropolis, Katsina State, under circumstances that have prompted an official inquiry.
The tragic event took place on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, at Murjani Hotel, Katsina. Hotel employees found the officer’s body around 8:30 a.m. and promptly notified law enforcement agencies on the same morning.
According to eyewitnesses at the hotel, empty sachets suspected to contain illicit substances were retrieved from the trash bin inside the room.
Three women were reportedly present with the officer at the time of his death: Khadija Ali, aged 34, from Dutsin Amare Quarters, Katsina; Aisha Lawal, 30, from Ingawa Local Government Area; and Hafsat Yusuf, 22, residing in Brigade Quarters, Kano.
Investigations revealed that Khadija and Aisha had spent the night with the officer, while Hafsat joined them later and also stayed at the hotel.
The deceased was transported to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Katsina, where medical personnel confirmed his death and subsequently transferred the body to the mortuary for a post-mortem examination.
The Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, Katsina State Command, Isah Bello, acknowledged the officer’s passing but refuted claims that he died in a hotel room, stating, “That is what we have heard from the public, but officially, he was simply found dead.”
