“Please, I Need Water”: Last Moment of Customs Officer Who Died At N/Assembly Captured in Video

• Deputy Comptroller of Customs, Essien Etop Andrew, asked for water as his last request before he slumped and died
• The video of his presentation before the National Assembly house committee on public accounts has emerged
• Essien had led a team of top customs officers to the House of Representatives for an investigative hearing by the public accounts committee when the tragic incident occurred

Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 5 years of experience covering metro and government policy

FCT, Abuja - The last request made by Essien Etop Andrew, deputy comptroller of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in charge of finance, administration and technical services, who died while making presentations on the Service's revenue remittances at the National Assembly has emerged.

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Essien had asked for water during an investigative hearing by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) at the House of Representatives, after which he collapsed.

The top-ranked Customs officer was rushed to the House of Representatives Clinic, where he was confirmed dead, Daily Trust reports.

An X user, @KemPatriot, shared a video of Essien's presentation before the tragic incident occurred. He had said:

“These levies as stated earlier are listed as federation account levies and it is the responsibility of the office of the Accountant general to say this money for sharing in FAAC, but for whatever reason that this money, which the Nigeria Customs Service has remitted into the appropriate account was not sent to the federation account, is what the service cannot give an explanation.”

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Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Bamidele Salam, had interjected by asking:

“So your position is that this money was actually sent to the account provided by the Accountant-General and that the obligation of now taking it to the federation account is out of your own purview.”

Responding, the deceased had said:

“Yes. The same thing applies for 2017 and 2017 can be seen on the next page. If you look at 2016, it encompasses other levies. Sir, I may need to take water.”

“Go ahead,” Bamidele had said, adding, “Do you need tea? Can somebody please attend to him?”

Tinubu reacts as Customs officer slumps, dies

Legit.ng earlier reported that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said he received the news of the sudden death of Etop Essien, the deputy comptroller in charge of revenue at the Nigeria Customs Service, with profound sadness.

The president said this in a statement by his top media aide, Ajuri Ngelale, on Tuesday, June 25.

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Tinubu reacts as Customs deputy comptroller slumps, dies at National Assembly

Tinubu extended his "heartfelt condolences" to Essien's family, describing his passing as most distressing. Furthermore, President Tinubu commiserated with the comptroller general of customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, as well as the officers, men, and women of the Nigeria Customs Service.

Proofread by Kola Muhammed, journalist and copyeditor at Legit.ng

Source: Legit.ng