A chilling discovery has thrown the Katsina metropolis into confusion and speculation following the sudden death of a Nigeria Customs Service officer, identified as Assistant Superintendent of Customs (ASC) Lawal Tukur, who was found lifeless in a hotel room after spending the night with three women. The unsettling incident, which occurred on Tuesday, October 15, at Murjani Hotel in the heart of Katsina, has raised eyebrows and questions about what truly transpired behind the closed doors of the officer’s room before his untimely death.
According to reports by Zagazola, a counterterrorism and intelligence source, the late officer had checked into the hotel the previous night, appearing in good health and spirits. Hotel attendants said he was in the company of three women later identified as Khadija Ali, 34, from Dutsin Amare Quarters, Katsina; Aisha Lawal, 30, from Ingawa Local Government Area of Katsina State; and Hafsat Yusuf, 22, from Brigade Quarters, Kano State. Eyewitnesses said Khadija and Aisha arrived with the officer and booked into the hotel together, while Hafsat reportedly joined them later in the night.
By the following morning, however, the mood around Murjani Hotel had changed dramatically. Around 8:30 a.m., hotel staff knocked repeatedly on Tukur’s door after he failed to check out or respond to calls. When there was still no answer, the management reportedly used a spare key to open the door — only to find the officer motionless on the bed. Panic ensued immediately as the attendants alerted the police and hotel management.
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Sources within the hotel told reporters that several empty sachets of unidentified substances were found inside a wastebasket in the room, prompting suspicions of possible drug involvement. It is unclear at this time whether the deceased officer ingested the substances himself or if they were linked to any foul play. Law enforcement officers quickly secured the scene, collected evidence, and took statements from witnesses, including the three women who were allegedly present at the time of the incident.
The women were reportedly taken into custody for questioning as detectives from the Katsina State Police Command launched a full-scale investigation into the mysterious circumstances surrounding the officer’s death. The hotel was temporarily cordoned off as crime scene investigators combed the area for clues that might help unravel what happened between the night of October 14 and the morning of October 15.
According to one source, the late officer’s body was swiftly evacuated to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Katsina, where doctors confirmed him dead upon arrival. The remains have since been deposited at the hospital mortuary pending the result of an autopsy. Authorities said the postmortem examination would be crucial in determining whether the death resulted from natural causes, substance abuse, or a deliberate act of poisoning.
Residents of Katsina, stunned by the bizarre development, have taken to social media and local forums to express concern and curiosity over the officer’s death. Some have speculated that the involvement of multiple women and the discovery of unidentified substances could indicate that the officer may have been drugged or blackmailed. Others, however, argue that the tragedy could have been the result of excessive indulgence or a medical complication that went unnoticed.
Law enforcement officials have urged members of the public to refrain from spreading unverified information as investigations continue. A police source familiar with the case confirmed that preliminary interrogation of the three women revealed inconsistencies in their accounts of what happened during the night, prompting detectives to keep them under custody while awaiting the autopsy report.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), where the deceased served, has reportedly been notified of the tragedy. A spokesperson for the service, who spoke on condition of anonymity, expressed shock over the incident and stated that the service was awaiting official findings from the police before making any formal statement. “It is a very unfortunate incident, and we are cooperating fully with the Katsina State Police Command to ensure that the truth is uncovered,” the spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, Murjani Hotel has come under scrutiny for its guest verification and security procedures. Residents have questioned how the hotel allowed multiple guests into the same room without adequate record checks. Others have called on local authorities to tighten monitoring of hotels in Katsina to curb incidents of drug abuse, sex work, and criminal activity often linked to late-night operations.
A senior police officer who requested anonymity disclosed that the investigation is being handled with utmost seriousness due to the sensitive nature of the case involving a serving government officer. “We are not ruling out any possibilities,” the source said. “The forensic report, toxicology tests, and autopsy results will guide us in determining whether this was a case of overdose, poisoning, or foul play. Until then, we urge the public to remain calm and avoid assumptions.”
This tragic incident has reignited discussions about the growing cases of mysterious hotel deaths across several Nigerian cities. In recent years, there have been multiple reports of men found dead after spending nights with companions, often under suspicious circumstances involving unknown substances or sudden health complications. Security experts have warned that such incidents could be linked to rising cases of drug use, extortion schemes, or criminal setups disguised as casual encounters.
Friends and colleagues of the late officer have described him as a disciplined and friendly man who served with dedication. Some said his death came as a shock, as he was not known to be involved in any form of misconduct or reckless behavior. However, until the full report is made public, uncertainty continues to surround his final hours.
As Katsina residents await official updates, the police have assured the public that justice will be served and that no stone will be left unturned in the pursuit of the truth. The fate of the three women remains uncertain, pending the outcome of forensic examinations and their cooperation with investigators.
For now, the corridors of Murjani Hotel remain heavy with unease, and the story of ASC Lawal Tukur stands as yet another reminder of how swiftly a night of pleasure can turn into a scene of tragedy. Whether it was a fatal indulgence, a setup gone wrong, or something more sinister, only the evidence will tell. Until then, Nigerians watch closely as the investigation unfolds, hoping for answers to a mystery that has once again exposed the dark side of nightlife in the nation’s northern states.